“Insomniacs can take heart from a new drug that makes the brain enter a state similar to narcolepsy.” In narcolepsy, people suddenly fall asleep, probably because neurons that normally release orexins, proteins that promote the waking state, are defective. Swiss researchers have developed an orexin-receptor blocking drug which, in preliminary tests, promotes sleepiness in laboratory animals and human subjects. As opposed to current sedative-hypnotic drugs, this sleep would be more physiological, i.e. natural: “Unlike other sleeping pills, the drug also increases the time spent in REM sleep, when the brain is thought to organise memories, so it may not cause the forgetfulness and memory disruption linked to regular sleeping pill use.” (New Scientist)