Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial of a sleep supplement, finding no significant effect over placebo, but gains insights into his sleep patterns. Longer summary

Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a sleep supplement called Sleep Support. Initially, he experiences a dramatic improvement in his sleep patterns, but decides to rigorously test this effect. He designs an experiment using placebo pills and blind administration over 24 nights. Surprisingly, the results show no significant difference between the Sleep Support and placebo nights in terms of sleep duration, wake-up time, or subjective measures. Scott concludes that his initial perceived improvement was likely due to the placebo effect and the act of not checking the clock upon waking. Despite the supplement not outperforming placebo, Scott considers the experiment a success as it led to improved sleep habits. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander discusses the online forum Longecity, where users organize group buys of experimental chemicals, seeing it as a risky but intriguing counterbalance to slow drug approval processes. Longer summary

Scott Alexander expresses admiration for Longecity, an online forum where users organize group buys of experimental chemicals for self-experimentation. While acknowledging the dangers and irresponsibility of such practices, he finds a certain appeal in how it counteracts potential suppression of wonder drugs by slow-moving institutions. The post discusses examples of ongoing group buys, including attempts to replicate anti-aging experiments in rats. Scott concludes by suggesting that while this behavior is risky, it serves as a safeguard against dystopian scenarios where beneficial drugs are suppressed, reflecting a balance between institutional stupidity and population insanity in Western civilization. Shorter summary