Its kind of amazing to me that we haven't heard more, or maybe aren't seeing more, research into drugs or therapy which could reduce the amount of sleep people need. We'd be talking about the greatest boon to global productivity in the history of mankind, likely singularly more impactful than any other technology we've ever developed. The company which develops it could sell it for literally any price and they'd have people scrambling for it.

Not suggesting its easy, or possible, but its just surprising to me that I don't hear anyone talking about it. Modafinil might be the closest I've seen but its obviously not for long-term use. Google/Alphabet is pouring hundreds of millions into Calico to fight aging, but fighting Sleep feels like a much easier target that could have much more impactful consequences (extending life from 80 to 100 isn't nearly as interesting as giving a ~30 year old even 10% more time with their younger body and mind).

And once its solved we'll inevitably flip into a dystopian society where the poor either can't afford the drug and thus become poorer, or are the only ones taking it because they now have to work 22 hours a day, but Hey, we'll worry about that when we get there.