Genes govern if we can survive on four hours' sleep

Margaret Thatcher swore she only needed four hours sleep each night while running the country and now scientists believe they have discovered how she managed it.

Reseachers have found that people who are able to survive on only four hours sleep have different genes meaning they wake less often and are more able to sleep deeply.The research could be important for shift workers, people who travel across time zones often and or who lose sleep through work commitments.The research could be important for shift workers, people who travel across time zones often and or who lose sleep through work commitments.A team from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia examined the sleep patterns of people with variation in their genes that shows some connection to narcolepsy, the condition that makes people fall asleep suddenly.However some people with the gene do not develop narcolepsy and others without it do develop it.The team wanted to examine what other effects on sleep the gene, called DQB!*0602, had on sleep.During the trial 92 healthy people without the gene were compared to 37 healthy people who had the gene but had not reported any sleep disorders.The participants were monitored as they slept with their rest disturbed on some of the nights.It was found that when restricted to four hours in bed a night those with the gene were sleepier and more fatigued than those without it. Those with the gene spent less time in deep sleep and woke up in the night more often.The findings are published in the journal Neurology.Lead author Dr Namni Goel, said: "The gene may be a biomarker for predicting how people will respond to sleep deprivation which has significant health consequences and affects millions of people around the world."It may be particularly important to those who work on the night shift, travel frequently across multiple time zones or just lose sleep due to their multiple work and family obligations."

Source:The Telegraph