You’re Feeling Sleepy . . . : Anesthetics activate brain’s sleep switch

Since the mid-19th century, surgeons and their grateful patients have made use of ether and other general anesthetics. Yet exactly how these compounds produce a painfree, unconscious state remains mysterious. Now, scientists chipping away at the anatomical details have discovered that two of today’s most common general anesthetics produce their sedative effects by triggering the brain’s sleep circuits.