• Do you feel like trash after 8 hours of sleep? This could be why 
  • Scientists discovered a gene mutation that changes brain signals 
  • Findings could lead to new drugs that improve sleep quality
Snoozing could be the worst thing for people with the genetic mutation
Snoozing could be the worst thing for people with the genetic mutation Credit: Imago

Do you sleep for eight hours as recommended by your doctor and still wake up feeling trash? Maybe you’ve got a rare genetic mutation – and should actually be sleeping less.

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That’s right, scientists have discovered a rare mutation in the SIK3 gene that allows some people to function perfectly fine on just four hours of sleep. No grogginess or feeling like everything is moving in slow motion – just totally recharged.

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Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that people with this mutated gene show zero signs of chronic sleep loss.

In fact, EEG scans show that they require less sleep and that hitting that snooze button for too long might actually make them feel worse.

SIK3 Mutation

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that a tiny mutation, known as N783Y, in the SIK3 gene, messes with the brain’s usual sleep signals.

When scientists gave the N783Y mutation to some mice, they ended up sleeping about 30 minutes less per night than normal ones.

The mutation could be why some people with Natural Short Sleep (NSS) need way less shut-eye than the rest of us.

The mutation changed the shape of the SIK3 protein, which messed with how it transfers important phosphate molecules to other proteins. 

However, the amount of protein in the mice stayed the same, meaning the change in sleep duration was due to how the SIK3 protein was functioning, not the overall protein levels.

More deep sleep for the mutants

There was also a slight increase in EEG delta power – the slowest brainwaves, typically seen during deep sleep – indicating that people with the gene mutation experience more deep sleep.

So far, scientists have identified at least five genes linked to short sleep patterns, but SIK3 is one of the most promising. The results of the study could lead to new drugs being developed to improve sleep quality.

Researchers said “These findings advance our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of sleep, highlight the broader implications of kinase activity in sleep regulation across species, and provide further support for potential therapeutic strategies to enhance sleep efficiency.”