Now, 'lifestyle' pills to pep up night owls!

A drug will help people to cope with the pressures by allowing us to survive on only two hours sleep a day.

A new class of drugs will enable people to cope with the pressures of modern society by allowing us to survive on only two hours sleep a day.

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According to NewScientist, the new 'lifestyle' pills promise to deliver sleep that is deeper and more refreshing than the real thing, even eliminating the need for sleep for several days at a stretch.

"The more we understand about the body's 24-hour clock the more we will be able to override it. In ten to 20 years we'll be able to pharmacologically turn sleep off," Russell Foster, a biologist specialising in the natural cycle, was quoted by the Sun as saying.

However, Neil Stanley, head of sleep research at the University of Surrey, said: "I think that would be the most hideous thing to happen to society."

Scientists are hoping to build on the success of the drug Modafinil. The stimulant, which was launched seven years ago, allows people to wake up refreshed after four hours of sleep.

The scope for the drug can be enormous, and can cater to a vast cross section of society, including students, army men, drivers and socialites.