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Sleep – that is. Nowadays everyone is pushing their limits even though it is well known that it is important for health. The common wisdom is that eight hours a night is what you want. Studies galore support the notion that at least seven hours a night are the right amount. Certainly I know that I function better with a full eight hours regularly.
So what to make of those people who regularly sleep less – sometimes much less? Are they courting exhaustion, health breakdown or other problems?
The answer is yes – unless they have a rare (but inherited) gene mutation called DEC2. A new study shows that people with the DEC2 gene mutation can do just fine on six hours or less of sleep – not just fine, but as well as if they had gotten eight or more hours of sleep. Sometimes life just isn’t fair…
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I tell my patients sleep is one of the best medications they have If Big Pharma could bottle and market it, they would because it is just that valuable.
I am one of those odd people who sleeps less. My wife and I go to bed at the same time, but I cannot sleep the two hours longer which she needs. I hang out in bed but eventually get up and do house keeping, work on interesting projects, make breakfast…my wife loves it! I’m 62 with no health adnormalities…I am left handed and in my right brain so much that I’m usually an easygoing unselfconscious man…that’s right – you can go ahead of me on the freeway. My favorite car 58 VW Van) has a red-line speed of 47 miles an hour. I’m not saying I never do anything…see interesting projects above. Interesting that though I don’t sleep as much, I don’t like alcohol or pot or narcotic stuff. The sleepers seem to be more susceptible to them.