# Would you give up sleep permanently if you could? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870 "2009-02-08T01:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/21 "2009-02-08T02:45:24Z")
> [@jonesj2205](#): > > … But the key is no one else can know you have this ability or you’ll find yourself with exactly the same amount of your stuff done and twice as much of their stuff… Also, these pills must be in a VERY limited supply. And once gone they can never be made again. A big reason I enjoy late nights is the peace and quiet. Sleeping just seems like a waste of it. I would however, have to ensure that whoever owns the thai place down the street had one so he could stay open all night. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/22 "2009-02-08T02:47:29Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > You realize that you just made me flip my laptop upside down, right? :dubious: > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris Aw, you took the easy way out. I was hoping to have you standing on your head. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/23 "2009-02-08T02:55:52Z")
I’ll go stand with the yes crowd. While my dreams are entertaining and… umm… interesting, I don’t remember them unless I wake up in the middle of it. Which means I never get to read the last chapter to find out whodunnit. Yeah, I’m popping that pill. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/24 "2009-02-08T03:07:28Z")
I think I’d probably go for it. I do enjoy sleep well enough, to be honest, but I hatehatehate mornings and generally feel like a zombie for about an hour after waking up. Being able to just get up and go would be so much more efficient. I’d probably start doing that elf thing and meditate for a few hours per day instead though, just to relax. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/25 "2009-02-08T03:49:15Z")
No way. I enjoy sleeping too much. To me, that is almost like asking, if there were a pill that would, with no side effects, eliminate the need for food or sex, would you take it? :eek: Sleep, for me, is a pleasure…the relaxing into clean, cool (or warm) sheets, the weight and comfort of the covers, the dreams (which I do usually remember and which I consider an important part of my mental, emotional, and physical life), the time to snuggle close to a loved one, the darkness. I would be the underachieving freak who “wasted” a third of my life being “unproductive”, I guess. Hey, what else would be new? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/26 "2009-02-08T04:40:46Z")
Oh, **hell** yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/27 "2009-02-08T05:13:30Z")
No…I like the feeling of sleepiness, and tiredness. It makes me mellow. Like now. 🙂 I also like going to sleep afterwords. Again… ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/28 "2009-02-08T05:24:12Z")
Yeah, sign me up too. I don’t see any downside at all. But what if there were a downside? Would you kill someone to get this pill? Lose all your friends? Have uncontrollable bowel movements? What? ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/29 "2009-02-08T05:30:01Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Yeah, sign me up too. I don’t see any downside at all. > > But what if there were a downside? Would you kill someone to get this pill? Lose all your friends? Have uncontrollable bowel movements? What? Well, if there were no other easier way, I think I might lose all my friends for it. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/30 "2009-02-08T05:35:04Z")
No way. Just reading this is making me want to go crawl into my nice warm bed with my nice soft pillows and comforter and my copy of Anna Karenina and some cats. I’m not so busy that I can’t spend a third of my time in bed. ---
**Author:** ![trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/31 "2009-02-08T05:39:54Z")
no, no way, never ever. I need the escape from the world. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/32 "2009-02-08T06:18:51Z")
I’d prefer one that only made me need to sleep when I wanted to. Days on end being productive, sign me up. But there’s no way I’d ever skip out on the feeling of holding a woman in my arms and drifting off into bliss after a bit of the ol’ in and out. It’s those kinds of feelings that keep you whole. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/33 "2009-02-08T06:26:28Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > I’d prefer one that only made me need to sleep when I wanted to. Days on end being productive, sign me up. But there’s no way I’d ever skip out on the feeling of holding a woman in my arms and drifting off into bliss after a bit of the ol’ in and out. It’s those kinds of feelings that keep you whole. That’s the deal. If you take the pill, you can never fall asleep again. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/34 "2009-02-08T06:30:56Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > That’s the deal. If you take the pill, you can never fall asleep again. > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris Then I’ll trade you that pill for a bottle of Makers and a busty girl with a sense of humor. You all go be productive, I’ll be busy chasing my happiness. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/35 "2009-02-08T06:56:57Z")
As long as I can be put to sleep if necessary (I’d hate to contemplate the possibility of needing surgery at some future point without being able to be unconscious) then I’d take the pill. I might still laze around in bed for hours when I feel like it but it’ll be on a violuntary basis and I’ll be able to stay awake and enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/36 "2009-02-08T07:23:22Z")
Good God no. I do my best work while sleeping. And you realize that pretty soon you would have no choice but to take it to compete with 6 billion workers who are willing to work around the clock. I’d shoot the inventor and destroy his lab. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/37 "2009-02-08T07:28:42Z")
**The Second Stone** brings up a good point: how society would, and would have to, adjust for people who took the pill. Could very well be humanity’s worst nightmare (pun intended). ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/38 "2009-02-08T07:38:57Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > **The Second Stone** brings up a good point: how society would, and would have to, adjust for people who took the pill. > > Could very well be humanity’s worst nightmare (pun intended). I brought it up in the OP; just sayin’. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/39 "2009-02-08T07:39:25Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > That’s good until I wake up at 4 P.M. and realize I’ve wasted the whole day. Why is that a wasted day? It is just when that one starts! Better talk to your folks about adjusting your bedtime so you can stay up late. When German Girl meets Vox, those hours after 4 are going to be the best part of the day! ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870/40 "2009-02-08T07:46:31Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > Better talk to your folks about adjusting your bedtime so you can stay up late. I realize you were probably joking, but that sounds incredibly condescending and rude. Besides, the usual reason for me getting up at 4 is having gone to bed at 8 A.M. 😛 Valete, Vox Imperatoris [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-sleep-permanently-if-you-could/484870.md?page=3)