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This article - https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190828/UC-San-Francisco-scientists-identify-second-short-sleep-gene-after-10-year-search.aspx https://www.new
by EliRivers 7y ago
This article - https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190828/UC-San-Francisco-scientists-identify-second-short-sleep-gene-after-10-year-search.aspx https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190828/UC-San-Francisco-... - touches on it.
The researcher mentions the typical effects of sleep deprivation - "This has well-known, long-term health consequences. You're more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, metabolic problems and a weakened immune system." - but says that these people don't suffer them.
This would suggest that they get all the sleep they need. They're just better at sleeping than us so it doesn't take them as long to get enough.
As a less serious and more fun aside, I want to breed these people with that group who have ridiculous endurance capability. The ultra-runners who only stop because they fall asleep :) Like this feller; https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/2013/aug/30/dean-karnazes-man-run-forever https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/20...
- Hitton 7y agoBut it should be that most rare "benefical" mutations have at the same time drawbacks, otherwise they would be probably much more widespread. In this case the drawbacks are just not yet known.
- meribold 7y agoMaybe one drawback is deeper sleep which makes it easier for predators to sneak up.
- SuoDuanDao 7y agoOr they used to have a drawback that is no longer relevant. I'm thinking for instance that the world's longest continuous culture considers 'dreamtime' to be more important in some ways than the waking world. It may be that the functions which used to require 8 hours of sleep can be done during waking hours as well, perhaps through greater caloric intake or more articulated mythologizing.