Scientists at the University of California, USA, discovered the gene responsible for the length of sleep. The discovery was made thanks to the help of a mom and daughter, who stay alert and function well having only six hours of sleep a night.
The scientists discovered that the two have mutated gene DEC2, which regulates the length of circadian rhythms. Earlier study have successfully produced analogical mutated gene in lab mice. The mice needed much less sleep to feel well-rested. The scientists believe that this discovery can help them better understand the mechanism of insomnia development.
Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7.
