Most people usually sleep between seven and nine hours a night. Science says that some people can feel completely rested and ready to action with only four hours of sleep.
Although it sounds like a superpower, this is a genetic reality. The researchers have long been interested in persons who naturally sleep short periods of time. A recent study has now revealed one of the genetic factors that contribute to this thing. The University of California, San Francisco, has identified a specific genetic mutation called SIK3-N783Y, reports Interesting Engineering.
Mice, used in research
To find out what this genetic mutation does, the researchers used mice. They created mice who had the same SIK3-N783y mutation. Live Science reported that mice usually sleep about 12 hours a day, which is much more than people.
The result of the research was an interesting one. Like the people who had this mutation, the modified mice slept considerably less than the normal ones. They slept about 31 minutes less each day.
“A mutation in salt-induced kinase 3 (SIK3-N783Y) is identified on a human subject that has the short-term natural feature of sleep. A model of mouse carrier of this homologous mutation demonstrates a short sleep duration confirming the causality of the mutation with the sleep trait“, the team wrote in the study work.
The brain scans of mice have shown that the mutant genes were active in the connections between the brain cells (synapse). Sik3 produces a kinase protein that signals other proteins, and this probably influences the amount of sleep we need.
This discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of sleep genetics. Previously, scientists have identified four other genes related to shorter sleep patterns. This new discovery raises the total number to five.
Consequences of insufficient sleep
Insufficient sleep can have negative consequences, such as slowness, forgetting and increasing heart problems. While most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep, short natural sleep works well with only four to six hours and even these people “feel worse” with a longer sleep.
Dr. Ying-Hui Fu, a co-author of the study, suggests that the body of these people could simply be more efficient in the recovery processes during sleep.
While we rest, our body works hard to carry out vital processes such as detox and repair any damage.
For the rest of us, who we need the eight hours of sleep, understanding the genetics of those who sleep a little naturally could have significant implications.
Scientists hope that by disappointing these genetic mechanisms, they can develop better treatments for millions of people who are struggling with sleep disorders.
