to sleep, perchance to drive

I just saw this NYT article, which discusses new warnings that the FDA will be issuing about certain drugs. It seems that some sleeping pills have been blamed for some “unusual side effects,” including sleepwalking, sleep eating, and sleep driving:

The review was prompted, in part, by queries to the agency from The New York Times last year, after some users of the most widely prescribed drug, Ambien, started complaining online and to their doctors about unusual reactions ranging from fairly benign sleepwalking episodes to hallucinations, violent outbursts, nocturnal binge eating and — most troubling of all — driving while asleep.

Night eaters said they woke up to find Tostitos and Snickers wrappers in their beds, missing food, kitchen counters overflowing with flour from baking sprees, and even lighted stoves.

Sleep-drivers reported frightening episodes in which they recalled going to bed, but woke up to find they had been arrested roadside in their underwear or nightclothes.

These freaky side effects were described in more detail in this NYT article from last year.

Anyhow, such bizarro events do sound like they’d be truly disturbing, not to mention often downright scary. I’ve occasionally talked in my sleep, and have had a couple instances of sleepwalking in my lifetime. And they are freaky. But holy crap, driving while asleep? It’s pretty amazing what people can manage…Anyhow, while I think it’s great that the FDA is issue the warnings, I can’t help but think that the drug companies are missing out on some opportunities. I think there would be a market for pills that would allow you to get stuff done while sleeping. Here are some sleep-time activities that might be marketable:

I can just imagine the drug commercials:

“I went to bed, and woke up to find the lawn mowed, the cabinets organized and the poodle shaved. Thanks, Somnambulex!”