Under laboratory conditions, when the sleep debt of laboratory animals is lowered to zero, or very close to zero, such animals can be given enormous doses of conventional sleep medications with no sleep-inducing effect at all. These doses will strongly sedate, and induce sleep in normal animals. In humans, the amount of prior sleep determines the sedative potency of a low dose of alcohol in the morning.
Under laboratory conditions, when the sleep debt of laboratory animals is lowered to zero, or very close to zero, such animals can be given enormous doses of conventional sleep medications with no sleep-inducing effect at all. These doses will strongly sedate, and induce sleep in normal animals. In humans, the amount of prior sleep determines the sedative potency of a low dose of alcohol in the morning.
- William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D