"People Who Aren't Tired After Just 4 Hours of Sleep? It's Possible With This Gene"

Discovery of a Mutation That Enhances Sleep Efficiency
"A New Paradigm in Sleep Physiology"

The secret behind so-called "short sleepers," who require less sleep than average yet do not feel fatigued, has been revealed. American researchers have discovered a gene mutation that dramatically enhances sleep efficiency.

A research team from the University of California, San Francisco announced on May 12 (local time) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they had identified a mutation in the 'SIK3' gene of natural short sleepers.

SIK3 is a gene that encodes an enzyme activated at brain synapses and plays a key role in regulating both the duration and depth of sleep. The researchers explained that mutations in this gene can alter sleep efficiency.

American researchers have discovered a mutant gene that enhances sleep efficiency. The photo is a reference image to aid understanding of the article. Pixabay

The team induced this mutation in laboratory mice and observed changes in their sleep patterns. The results were remarkable. Mice with the mutation slept an average of 31 minutes less per day compared to ordinary mice. Considering that normal mice sleep about 12 hours a day, this represents a 4.3% reduction.

Notably, despite the reduction in sleep time, the level of fatigue did not increase. In fact, the activity of SIK3-related enzymes in the brain synapses of the mutant mice increased. The researchers explained, "The increased enzyme activity appears to promote the brain's homeostatic functions, thereby enhancing sleep efficiency."

This study is regarded as an important discovery in terms of sleep quality. It is estimated that short sleepers with the SIK3 gene mutation carry out essential physiological processes, such as detoxification and cellular recovery, more quickly and effectively during sleep.

An expert stated, "This discovery is a meaningful case that scientifically demonstrates it may be more important how we sleep than how long we sleep." The expert added, "The fact that a specific gene mutation can improve sleep quality and reduce the required amount of sleep presents a new paradigm in sleep physiology."