In a recent breakthrough, researchers have uncovered a genetic mutation that may allow certain individuals to thrive on just three hours of sleep per night. The findings, published on May 5, 2025, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shed light on a rare group of people known as “natural short sleepers”—those who can sleep between 3 to 6 hours without the typical negative effects of sleep deprivation.
Dr. Ying-Hui Fu, a neuroscientist and geneticist at the University of California, San Francisco, co-authored the study. She explains that decoding these genetic traits could pave the way for innovative treatments for sleep-related conditions. “These individuals seem to achieve the restorative functions of sleep more efficiently than the average person,” Fu said.
The team’s interest in this unusual sleep pattern dates back to the early 2000s, when they were contacted by people who consistently felt refreshed after sleeping fewer than six hours. The first major discovery came when the researchers identified a rare genetic variant affecting the body’s internal clock in a mother and daughter who both needed minimal sleep. This sparked a wave of interest from others with similar patterns, many of whom volunteered for genetic testing.
Over time, Fu and her colleagues have studied hundreds of natural short sleepers and identified five specific mutations across four different genes that are linked to this rare trait. Interestingly, these mutations vary from family to family, suggesting multiple genetic pathways can lead to reduced sleep needs.
This research not only provides deeper insight into human sleep biology but could also have far-reaching implications for managing sleep disorders and improving sleep quality through genetic understanding.
Source :https://www.nature.com/
