Sleep needs are not linked to a psychological state but are genetic according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Sleep. And as with eye color, you can’t fight it.
Researchers from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) sought to understand why some “lucky” people did not need a lot of sleep to be in good shape when the majority of the population would need at least 7:30 hours. of sleep to operate at full speed.
They studied the mechanisms of sleep in 100 twins (59 of whom were homozygous and 41 were dizygotic). In particular, the number of hours needed to get fit and the health effects of not getting enough sleep.
A genetic mutation that makes it hard to sleep
The researchers found that the volunteers who only needed 5 hours of sleep per night carried a gene, BHLHE41, which had mutated. Scientists named this genetic change “p.Tyr362His”.
“This study highlights the fact that our need to sleep is a biological need, not a personal preference, “says Timothy Morgenthaler, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.” Most adults seem to need at least seven hours of good quality sleep each night for good health. optimal productivity, and vigilance during the day “.
Lack of sleep is bad for your health
Without this gene, it is out of the question to fight against your desire to sleep. Because lack of sleep is harmful to health.
Sleep disorders today affect 20% of the population of industrialized countries. In France, one in three people say they suffer from a sleep disorder and 15% say they regularly experience insomnia problems. They are responsible for health problems, heart attacks and should be considered a public health epidemic. Sleep deficiency can be responsible for car accidents, industrial disasters, metabolic disorders, and heart problems. In addition, people who lack sleep have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity and cancer. They also experience increased early mortality.
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