There are people who genetically only need 4-6 hrs of sleep per night. They also "tend to be more optimistic, more energetic and better multitaskers. They also have a higher pain threshold, don’t suffer from jet lag and some researchers believe they may even live longer."
We know this can be driven by a single mutation in the gene ADRB1. I need someone to hurry up and make a gene editor so I can get a taste of this freedom.
To frame the upside here: in 80 years of life, you sleep for ~20 years. Short sleepers only sleep for ~10 years. Thats +10 years of awake life! Insane life alpha.
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> We know this can be driven by a single mutation in the gene ADRB1
is there causal evidence for a large effect size on this being monogenic? if so, what's the purported mechanism?
Is the mutation rare and the number of these folks very low? I feel I've heard Matt Walker claim that nearly everyone needs 7-8 hours and folks who claim otherwise are almost uniformly deluding themselves.
Yea. About 4 known genetic variants lead to Short Sleeping and they are fairly rare.
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what’s the penetrance look like? Dec2 fails this test because turns out lots of people are mutants, not many are short sleepers.
Seems highly penetrant, good question.
"As the new study describes, a breakthrough came when the researchers identified a family that included three successive generations of natural short sleepers, none of whom harbored the DEC2 mutation. The researchers used gene sequencing
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Why are the variants rare tho.... I'm suspicious of anything supposedly good that has such strong selective pressure against it
Unless its very recent? But that is unlikely, if it's not obviously in one family.
i definitely have this mutation. i am always optimistic, insanely energetic, don't feel jet lag, love finding the edge of my pain tolerance which is obviously high, don't really sleep ever and never did. i wonder how rare this is, asking grok: it's 1/25K, seems right. it's ...
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Genes generally arent single effect points. Variation in gene affects more than one kind of functionality. What it does in this case is what needs to be known before being gung ho about it.
True. There are two innovations that I think can be game changing here if even possible.
1. Way to fall asleep instantly (we’re not far off here). So many spend hours in bed but get poor quality sleep.
2. Gene editing like you mentioned above.
Notre Dame researchers have developed a novel, automated device capable of diagnosing glioblastoma—a fast-growing and incurable brain cancer—in less than an hour.
“Our hope is that if early detection is more feasible, then there is an increased chance of survival.”
i dated one a year ago. 1am awake and happy. 6am in the gym, feeling fresh
this is the one genetic trait that we should be giving absolutely everyone, and I want this for myself.
Now what’s the downside to evolutionary fitness? There almost certainly is one, if the advantages are so overwhelming.
Do they just wake up fully rested after 4-6h naturally? Or is it more like they force their awakening but then don't suffer the consequences?
this sounds like me.
I didn't know there was a gene mutation, I should test!
Definitely on the short side of the stick here. Sleep 9+ hours a day on average. Often 10-11. And I suffer worse jet lag than anyone I know.
But I ran real good on height and other things so I guess whatever.
If you are reading this and a gentic anamoly for needing little sleep — please DM me. We could easily conduct a study here to confirm high-penetrant genetic markers.
DMs are open!
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sleep is such an annoying concept
someone pls build a startup that lets you sleep less without compromising health
One of the most successful people I know is like this. He brilliant, good at everything, very positive, and all his siblings are just like him. He once confided in me that he actually doesn't believe other people really need 8 hours of sleep. He stays in bed for 4 hours because
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Wild but true.
One thing I've observed and read from others is that experienced meditators need less sleep.
Another hack to reduce required sleep is a clean diet or being deep in ketosis, which isn't always sustainable but can be great for a stretch while you're hyperfocused.
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Oh yep this is absolutely me. Do you know how I can get tested for this mutation?
#klobpointsatsign and possibly #courtdocument for my multi million dollar libel lawsuit vs #DuncanAndrewSabien.
Not to mention my civil and criminal harassment cases against him.
10 extra years of awake time does sound amazing! But isn’t sleep when our brain recharges, clears out the junk and helps us remember stuff better? If tweaking ADRB1 keeps all that working, sign me up. If not, I’ll stick to my naps!
My dad. I never saw him sleep growing up + all the other positives you mentioned.
Interesting. I sleep 4-6 hours a night and my watch says I should be bagged and yet, I feel refreshed. I always wake before my alarm clock so assume my natural rhythm? I was deemed an outlier in chemotherapy and radiation as I never lost my hair, never got sick once, worked full
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Is there any research as to what the gene mutation actually does physiologically?
I have a theory that it causes extra sensitivity to light thereby allowing early morning and late evening light to better reset the body clock.
I need low wattage bulbs in my house and wear
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why stop there? let's evolve beyond sleep entirely. who needs dreams when you have startups?(i say as i scroll twitter at 3am)
Any deleterious effects on cellular repair and on other benefits of sleep?
Wow! I can think of some folks who probably have this. Should add it to newborn sequencing target list
I’m one of those people and it’s pretty great for productivity up until you realize you’re out of sync with the rest of society.
Dunno about my genes but if I go to sleep at any point, no matter how tired, no matter timezone change, I will definitely wake up once by myself at around 6 hour mark
Has saved me too many times from missing flights, events and meetings 
I just need to remember to go to sleep
I just need to remember to go to sleepShow more
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And they live longer?
Crazy that it's not offset by shorter lifespan
My father has this mutation. Hes in his mid 60s and healthy as an ox. Frankly I have rarely seen him sleeping my entire life. 4-6 hours is all he needs. He routinely does long haul flights (13+ hours) and will land and proceed to go to the gym and then cook dinner. Like im
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At an internal Microsoft Band health meeting ~2016, I asked the head of MS Health whether they had checked the user database for any outliers who functioned on tiny amounts of sleep (~4 hours). Sleep "mutants". The answer was no. I could be wrong, but FitBit, etc have the data
Huh. Interesting. I've discovered that, when I am eating well and active, all those things are true of me. When I'm eating trash and not active, very much not. I always assumed it was just based on how I was caring for myself.
How can I tell if I'm a naturally short sleeper or if I'm just killing myself?
Wait is this true? I had both my kids without pain meds and I’m not joking when I say… it didn’t hurt that much. Everyone thinks I’m bullshitting.
5.5 hours is my norm. I can do 4.5 hours a night for many months but it does wear me down some. Useful trait and helped me through some very challenging times in my life.
i was clinically diagnosed a short sleeper after taking a paid sleep test in college. best $150 i ever made.
i’ve only ever needed 4-6 hours of sleep my entire life. i weirdly feel more tired if i somehow end up sleeping more than 6 hours. i was told in college that i simply
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5-6 hours is the Goldilocks zone. Anything less or more would have medical risks going forward.
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My mother could get by comfortably on 6 hours a night. I need a minimum of 7, 7.5 is full charge. That extra hour per day would be useful.
Hundred percent … I know a few of those people and I always chuckle to myself when I hear about the studies/experts about how much sleep everyone needs when the truth is - everyone needs a different amount of sleep. It’s nice to have a baseline of eight hours, but I know guys
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I know a couple people like this and they are truly built different
I generally can’t sleep more than six hours a night. Those other attributes generally describe me, but not perfectly.
I’ve thought about the greater number of awake hours. My wife needs 8 hours a night. That means that every week I basically get an extra day of productivity
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Ohhh the post I needed to go into a rabbit hole for today! Do you definitively know you have this mutation?
OMG. Can I please get this gene mutation NOW?
I am a 8-9 hour minimum sleeper.
That's wild! I must have whatever the opposite of that gene is. I need tons of sleep.
"Don’t suffer from jet lag," sounds like they have a weak circadian rhythm. "higher pain threshold", they might think they are feeling good but don't realize they are in a bad state because they can't sense it.
This probably gets selected against because of a few more
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I have this
ADRB1 a super power
In truth I have more like 2-3 hrs sleep a night
I only need about 5 hours and I rarely suffer from jet lag. So glad to hear I might live longer, thanks!
Know people like this and am extremely jealous of them.. it's like a super power
Editor is academic. Delivery, problematic.
Raising for redosable delivery.
Can this mutation happen mid life? I feel like I became like this midway through my life!!
the big problem is when people pretend and THINK theyre one of these mutants and theyre most certainly not
I sleep about 5 hrs per night and been doing that for many years and i’m a optimistic person 
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Sign. Me. Up.
Adult/Friend/Random Quiz: If you could have any super power what would it be?
Young Me: Ooh, telekinesis! Move objects with your mind, fly, it'd be awesome.
Old Me: No need to sleep. If I could have healthy life function with little-to-no-sleep, I'd 100% take it!
Dude. I sleep like 10 hours per night and get the worst jet lag. I need the gene editor fast track.
where is the startup charging to test for this specific genetic trait??
I mostly get 6 hrs of sleep, everything else is true but for the jet lag
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Blake, I fit into most of these categories
4-6hrs/night as standard for 30 years (usually 4-5)
High functioning, athletic, energetic, happy, witty, patient, lots of war/pain stories that peeps can’t believe, and I’ve got family that lived to 116yrs, most get close to century
Yes and no. I have been sleeping 4h a day most of my life. I’m 50. Typically described by others as “very energetic” and really good at multitasking. I’m fine even with 2h a day. Yes really good at jet lag. The higher pain threshold: nah. Normal. But honestly i have always
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