Rare Gene Discovered in Short Sleepers
August 14, 2009
For years, sleep experts have advised adults to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night for optimal health and energy. However, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, have recently discovered a gene mutation that allows the carrier to function properly on less sleep than the average adult. A recent Associated Press article looked at a mother and daughter who share the gene DEC2, which is involved in circadian rhythm regulation. According to the article, the gene limits their sleep cycle to six hours a night. Researchers noted that the pair naturally fall asleep around 10:30 p.m. and wake up energized at 4 a.m. According to the Associated Press, they were the only two out of 250 volunteers in a study conducted by the university that possessed the gene. The finding, published in the journal Science, made a point in emphasizing the rarity of this gene and advised against this sleep pattern for most adults.
- Read the article.
- Learn more about the sleep-wake cycle.
Copyright Notice: All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of the National Sleep Foundation. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. Links to Web sites other than those owned by the National Sleep Foundation are offered as a service to readers and the foundation is not responsible for their content. Click here to request permission.
Advertisement Notice: The National Sleep Foundation neither control nor endorse the advertisements, items or Websites featured in the advertisers links on our Web pages.
