University of California, San Francisco conducted research which revealed that there is a second gene as well which makes it possible for some people to sleep for lesser hours and still feel the same refreshment. In the year 2009, a study from researchers at UCSF identified a gene DEC2 which promotes natural short sleep. People with this gene feel rested with less than the average number of hours of sleep. According to discovery made in 2009, people with DEC2 feel rested after less than 6.5 hours of sleep. The research study continued and after ten years, revealed that there is another gene ADRB1 which is responsible for natural short sleep. Also, there could be few more genes which could allow individuals to sleep for a short duration.
Ying-Hui Fu, who is a researcher at UFSC, led this study stated that many other genes are being evaluated. Before the discovery of short sleep gene, almost nobody thought of sleep duration in terms of genes. The study conducted in 2009 uncovered that people with gene mutation slept for about 6.25 hours and participant without gene mutation slept for about 8 hours.
Also, people with gene mutation are not affected by sleep deprivation. Individuals with short sleep gene are even flexible with changes in sleep pattern and schedules. The occurrence of these genes is very rare. Presently, a significant chunk of population is sleep deprived due to several factors such as excess work pressure, use of social media, etc. not sleeping adequately has severe consequences on long term health. One is at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, etc. Several people sleep for short hours and claim they don’t require long sleeping hours, but mainly it is due to strong will power. The motive behind this research was not to determine rate of occurrence of gene mutation but find out how sleep is regulated and make it efficient. If researchers could help everyone to sleep better.
