Would you be willing to take a pill if it would boost your performance at work?
Researchers at the University of Oxford and Harvard Medical School have found that modafinil, a drug prescribed to help people with sleep disorders, also enhances decision-making and planning skills in people without the disorders, as reported by The Atlantic.
In the studies, modafinil also helped subjects cope with new things, be flexible and process complex tasks.
Providing cognitive benefits that sound like highly sought-after competencies, work doping is already taking place. “Modafinil is one of an arsenal of drugs, which includes Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta, that are increasingly used ‘off-label’ by college students and adults seeking greater productivity,” according to the article.
Researchers say the side effects are no worse than drinking too much coffee.
Thoughts? Email connie.post@coxinc.com
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