Pharmacy Corner
RESOURCES FOR PHARMACY

24/08/2009

Genetic mutation may explain a need for less sleep

According to a new study published in this month’s Science, it seems that some people are genetically programmed to need less sleep. In this study, people who were able to function on six hours of sleep or less a day were found to have a never-before-seen mutation in a gene that's known to affect your “human clock”.

Researchers discovered the link between genes and sleep by testing the sleeping patters of a family in which two members seemed to need much less daily rest than their close relatives. To validate their findings, the researchers genetically engineered a group of mice to express the same mutated gene with similar results. Although this gene is very rare, appearing in 1 out of every 60 families, it is an insight into the effects of sleep and human health.

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