Latest news with #geneMutation
CBS News
11-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Think you don't need sleep? This rare gene mutation may be why.
Imagine getting only a few hours of sleep and being raring to go the next day. A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows the discovery of a gene mutation that lets some people get away with only 3-6 hours of sleep. "They truly find themselves going to bed at say 10 p.m. and wake up at say 3 in the morning, and they are wide awake, refreshed and ready for the day," said Dr. Temitayo O. Oyegbile-Chidi, associate professor in the department of neurology at UC Davis Health. Dr. Oyegbile-Chidi says they've known about genes associated with short sleep for a while. This is just the latest, and while it sounds great, you probably don't have it. "What's quite special about these is they are very unique and very uncommon, so what I find is whenever a new mutation comes out, people say, 'Maybe I have that mutation. Let me get tested for that,' " she said. "And that's where I often say it's very, very rare." So, how do you know if you're a short sleeper? Well, you can get tested, or you can ask yourself: Are you tired? "If you find yourself managing during the week on 2-3 or 2-4 hours of sleep, but then you end up on the weekends sleeping in for 10 hours, you probably are not a short sleeper," Dr. Oyegbile-Chidi said. So make sleep a priority. Get a routine bedtime with no screens in a cool room. "Make sure you are actually getting a good amount of sleep and getting that 7-9 hours," Dr. Oyegbile-Chidi said.
The Independent
10-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The bizarre reason some people are fine on just four hours of sleep a night
Scientists identified a rare gene mutation (N783Y in the SIK3 gene) that allows some individuals to function well on only 4-6 hours of Sleep. This mutation affects a phosphate exchange process crucial to the Sleep -wake cycle, leading to less Sleep and potentially more deep Sleep. Mice with the same mutation slept 30 minutes less than unaltered mice, confirming the gene's role in Sleep duration. This discovery could lead to new therapies for Sleep disorders and improve Sleep quality. The mutation seems to increase deep Sleep in those who have it.
