Keeping up With Science 喝咖啡打击瞌睡虫？落伍了！

To make the most of your time, you should go to bed late and rise early. But that is conventional wisdom. The future may be different because scientists are doing what they can to eliminate our need for sleep.

Researchers have been testing a new drug that can keep people awake for days. The drug is called “modafinil” and, unlike other stimulants, it has no side effects. While caffeine can wear off quickly and can make people nervous, the new drug works with the brain so that users continue to feel naturally alert for days on end.

The U.S. military is interested in this type of drug for its soldiers. It would be advantageous to have pilots and fighters who could function without sleep. Ordinary people can also benefit. Narcoleptics, people who often fall asleep quite suddenly, currently use the drug to ease their condition, and there is potential for modafinil to keep the rest of us up all night, too.

为了充分利用你的时间，你应该晚睡早起。不过那是传统看法。未来也许会有所不同，因为科学家正竭尽所能消除我们对睡眠的需求。

研究者一直在试验一种新药，它可以使人一连几天保持清醒。这种药叫做“莫达非尼”（modafinil），而与其它兴奋剂不同的是，它没有副作用。咖啡因的效果会很快减退而且会使人焦躁不安，而这种新药因在脑部发挥效用所以使用者会连续数日保持自然的思维敏捷的感觉。

美国军方有意将此种药物给军人使用。如能使飞行员和战士不睡也不休息继续执行任务，将会多好啊。普通人也可从中获益。常常忽然睡着的嗜睡症患者，通常用此药来减轻他们的症状，而“莫达非尼”也有可能让我们其余的人都能整晚不睡呢。