Poll: If you never had to sleep again......hypothetical question!

[ianh]

Hi all,

I was in the middle of a quite slow paced game last night and I was getting very tired but still wanted to finish the level before heading off to bed when I had the following thought -

We spend about 1/3 of our life time asleep, so imagine how far we could have gotten as a species (and individuals) if we didn't have to 'waste' so much time being non-productive. So, if there was a way to give people a one-time only choice (via medicine with zero side-effects) between still having to sleep and therefore being feeling tired without it, or never having to sleep again and therefore never feeling tired (except from physical labour) AND the choice was was irreversible, which would you chose and why?

I can see the following Pro's and Cons to each (which isn't an exhaustive list in any way) and even then I'm still not sure which would be best but I'd probably pick "No Sleep" because it'd be better when you were 0-60 years old but then as you get older you have to imagine being 90 and still having to be awake 24/7 etc which is awful. It's a tough choice when you think hard about it.

Pro's to Sleep -

• Allows the mind and body time to heal/repair damage
  
• Gives a definitive "start/finish" to a day
• Dreaming is fun

Cons to Sleep -

• 1/3 of your entire life is gone, poooof. Imagine being 90 and having slept for 30 whole years of it!
• Feeling tired isn't just bad it's also unhealthy and can even be dangerous (driving etc)
• Lots of household space wasted by bedrooms

Pro's to No More Sleep -

• Never feel tired again except from physical labour
• 24 full hours to do things, every day, forever until you die
• More money (can work 2x 8hr jobs now) and better job prospects (more time to study etc) and you'd advance more than those who chose to keep sleeping.

Cons to No More Sleep -

• The world is setup around sleeping patterns, very little is available 24hrs a day and it would be slow to change.
  
• Is there enough for a "normal" person to do being awake 24/7/365
• Companies expecting you to work longer hours or be paid less for the same hours

So which would you go for and why? Also can you think of any other good/bad reasons for Sleep/No Sleep?

Spoiler: *for the mods*

any chance of a Poll -

Q. Keeping Sleeping or Never have to Sleep again
A. Yes keep sleeping, No give up sleep and Pancake (insert other OcUK meta joke)

 

[Junglist]

Well I had a rubbish sleep last night and right now nothing seems more appealing than having a nice snooze

 

[bloodiedathame]

Poll required. I'd be up for no sleep myself.

 

[Minusorange]

Where's the option to never have to wake up ?

 

[Martynt74]

I might be being thick but is "Yes" to keep sleeping or never sleep again?

I'd chose no sleep. Just make sure you die before life gets too boring!

 

[moon man]

I use sleep to escape the world and stress sometimes, and my dreams seem to be constant, literally a dream world, complex interwoven story's, would keep Sleep

 

[Resident]

Poll makes no sense.

Question gives 2 defined possible answers and poll options are neither definitions.

 

[Minstadave]

I have a 3 month old, what is this thing you call sleep?

 

[robfosters]

Poll makes no sense at all. I’ve got very tired trying to work it out, I shall have to have a nap!

 

[Scam]

Doesn't make sense. If you choose not to sleep, you state you'll never feel tired or have any side effects but scientifically (well, as much as I've read) you will die without sleep. It is essential to your health.

If you're saying that is ignored as well, why would anyone choose to sleep?

OP should read 'Nod' by Adrian Barnes. It's not a great book, but quite a scary premise and outcome that sticks with you...

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I would like to not have to sleep. I don't enjoy it, I'd happily stay awake and attempt to be productive.

 

[Kenai]

Cons to No More Sleep -

• The world is setup around sleeping patterns, very little is available 24hrs a day and it would be slow to change.
  
• Is there enough for a "normal" person to do being awake 24/7/365
• Companies expecting you to work longer hours or be paid less for the same hours

These are barely cons...

The world is setup well enough for being active 24h day, especially given how many people work nights etc. anyway. Plus, if you started a non-localised business, you could trade around the world at the same as everyone else is in their standard working day.

Not sure why a company would expect you to work more or be paid less if it was just you with this new found power to never sleep? If the assumption is people could do this en masse, then your first con is completely irrelevant as everything would adjust to being a 24h lifestyle.

 

[Vince]

This poll, beautiful. I couldn't work out what to answer since it appears to be a guessing game. Then I thought lets see what people have put yep poll makes no sense!

Mr Flibble is now leading pancake!

 

[Yadda]

Answering an "or" question with yes/no is tricky. What's the question?

 

[MrRockliffe]

I suspect most people would become slobs. It's great to think we'd do more with the time, but realistically, lots of people would become lazy in my opinion.

Sleeping provides easy structure to the day - I find this really important for my productivity.

 

[chroniclard]

Never sleep again, its such a waste of time.

 

[Diddums]

Think of all the arguments you could start in GD

 

[builder22]

Is sleeping 1/3rd of your life no the same as spending 50% of your day working anyway?

 

[Haggisman]

I voted yes because I would like to "Keeping Sleeping or Never have to Sleep again"

 

[ianh]

I might be being thick but is "Yes" to keep sleeping or never sleep again?

Poll makes no sense.

Poll makes no sense at all. I’ve got very tired trying to work it out, I shall have to have a nap!

This poll, beautiful. I couldn't work out what to answer since it appears to be a guessing game. Then I thought lets see what people have put yep poll makes no sense!

Answering an "or" question with yes/no is tricky. What's the question?

I voted yes because I would like to "Keeping Sleeping or Never have to Sleep again"

In my sleep deprived state I may have made a very small, barely noticeable, tiny wee mistake, hardly obvious to anyone but the most scrutineering of pedants so I've asked for a minor, virtually inconsequential alteration to be made to keep you people happy

AKA Doh!