Not everyone needs a full eight hours of sleep to wake up feeling refreshed. Some people, known as natural short sleepers, can function perfectly well on just 4 to 6 hours of sleep each night without any negative effects.
A new study has found that a rare genetic mutation may be responsible for this unusual ability.
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified a specific mutation in a gene called salt-induced kinase 3 (SIK3).
This gene plays a crucial role in regulating how long and how deeply we sleep.
For most people, getting less than 7 hours of sleep consistently leads to fatigue, poor concentration, and increased health risks, such as heart disease, diabetes, and even depression.
But for natural short sleepers, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, they wake up refreshed and energetic after just a few hours of sleep.
To better understand how this works, the research team studied a healthy 70-year-old woman who had spent her whole life thriving on just 3 hours of sleep each night.
Her sleep habits were tracked using a device worn on her wrist, which showed she actually averaged around 6.3 hours of sleep per night. This is still far below the average recommendation of 7 to 9 hours, yet she remained healthy and active.
The researchers took DNA samples from the woman and performed genetic testing to identify any mutations that might explain her unusual sleep patterns. Their analysis revealed a mutation in the SIK3 gene, specifically at a point known as N783Y. This tiny change in her DNA seemed to affect how the SIK3 protein functioned, altering her sleep needs.
To confirm their findings, the scientists replicated this genetic mutation in mice. They discovered that the mice with the same mutation slept 30 minutes less than normal mice, suggesting that the SIK3 mutation directly influences sleep duration.
Further analysis showed that the mutation changed the structure of the SIK3 protein, reducing its ability to send signals that help control sleep and wakefulness.
The discovery is significant because it provides the first direct evidence that SIK3 plays a role in the natural short sleep trait. It also hints that treatments targeting this gene might one day help people struggling with sleep disorders.
According to the researchers, understanding the genetic basis of sleep could lead to new therapies that improve sleep quality and protect against the risks of sleep deprivation.
This groundbreaking study highlights that while most of us need a good night’s sleep to function well, some people are simply wired differently, thriving on much less sleep thanks to a unique twist in their DNA.
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Source: KSR.
