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A rare genetic mutation might be the reason why some 'lucky' individuals are able to function well despite only managing four to six hours of sleep at night, a new study has claimed. This mutation affects the sleep-wake cycle, leading to less sleep and potentially more deep sleep.

Doctors usually recommend at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night, with sleep deprivation in individuals linked to conditions such as Alzheimer's and heart disease. However, the study findings, published in the journal PNAS, suggest that not everyone with a shorter sleep cycle had underlying health conditions.

"Our bodies continue to work when we go to bed. These people [natural short sleepers], all these functions our bodies are doing while we are sleeping, they can just perform at a higher level than we can," study co-author Ying-Hui Fu, a neuroscientist and geneticist at the University of California, was quoted as saying by LiveScience.

The study identified one of these mutations, named SIK3-N783Y, in a human super-sleeper. Afterwards, the team studied the mutation in genetically modified mice and found that the rodents also got less sleep.

The researchers found that mice with the mutation slept around 31 minutes less than those without it, and 54 minutes less following a period of sleep deprivation, which was induced through gentle handling of the mice.
"In a mouse model, the presence of the NSShsik3-N783YY mutation leads to a decrease in sleep time and an increase in EEG delta power."
The scientists added that the mutation caused structural changes affecting the protein's ability to transfer key phosphate molecules to other proteins.

Research said the study findings could lead to new therapies for sleep disorders and improve sleep quality in individuals.

"Further data analyses reveal additional kinases that could participate in the modulating network for sleep duration."