Have you ever wondered why you need to get a full eight hours under the duvet while your friends seem to float by with just a few hours of sleep? It turns out there’s more to it than meets the eye. Science has finally answered why some of us need more sleep than others.

Creating A Study

Many great minds of the world claim to get just four hours of sleep a night, and scientists wanted to know how they could thrive with so little shut-eye. It turns out there is more than determination at play. In fact, the University of California, San Francisco, soon set about finding out the answer.

The Missing Link

Their research showed that individuals with the single-letter gene mutation can function on six hours of sleep without any side effects. However, people without the mutation suffer effects on their health and their mood.

Not The First

Believe it or not, but this isn’t the first gene that has been linked to sleep. Back in 2009, the team uncovered a particular gene mutation that meant their bodies averagely got around 6.25 hours of sleep. The gene is inherited, and without it, people need close to 8.06 hours of sleep instead.

Science Finally Answers Why Some Of Us Need More Sleep Than Others

Plenty To Do

Although the team are one step closer to finding an answer about why some people need more sleep than others, there is still a long way to go. For now, it looks as though it all depends on what’s in your genes. One researcher on the team stated that rest is complicated as there are more than one gene and areas of the brain working together.