Sleep five hours a night and wake up fresh and rested. An advantage or a conviction? Brad Johnson has no doubts: “It’s a gift that has been with me since I was little, a real gift,” he tells Cnn. Brad, 64, is part of a large American family of Mormons, from Utah, which became the subject of study for the characteristic of “short dormsWhich unites some members. Their “gift” belongs to at least three genes (DEC2, ADRB1 and NPSR1, different in short dormitories than in the general population), they explain Ying-Hui Fu of the University of California and Chris Jones of the University of Utah, who, shortly before the onset of the pandemic, were about to launch an investigation into the sleep of these people. Objective: to discover the features that allow them to wake up after only 5 hours of sleep without a yawn, ready to go for a very long, productive and busy day. Very long, because of course the short dorms have more waking hours than the “normal” dorms.
Brain cleansing
«Being in bed 8-10 hours is physically impossible for me; even if they offered me millions of dollars to do it, I wouldn’t be able to, ”explained Brad Johnson. From an early age, he and some of his brothers they wake up in the middle of the night ready to start the day, while their family members without the mutation in the three genes sleep until morning. Brad and the other short dorms, in addition to not feeling tired, they are always in action and have a very good memory. Several studies have shown that sleep deprivation – that is, sleep less than necessary – is associated with lower mental performance; the brain works worse and the memory falters when we are tired. Not so with the Johnson. It is possible, according to Fu and Jones, that their brains, unlike that of “standard” dormitories, be able to clear away toxins more quickly that accumulate throughout the day.
Immediately productive
“I’ve never been normal when it comes to sleep,” Brad told her Cnn -. I’ll take five hours and I’m done. On your feet, ready to go. I’m not groggy, I’m not tired. ‘ His two older brothers Rand and Paul also wake up early and are quickly productive and in a good mood. As children in the dark hours of those mornings, while the others slept, the Johnson brothers practiced basketball, did their homework, read. Brad’s older sisters Janice and Kathy also struggled to stay in bed, as did their father, Vere Johnson. “I’m pretty sure my dad was short of sleep, he always got up early in the morning with incredible energy – says Brad -. Mum, on the other hand, had a normal sleep. He slept seven or eight hours. ‘ Like her, the three youngest members of the family, Todd, Scott and Rob, had no problem sleeping until morning.
Genetically modified mice
Jones and Fu, who was working at the University of Utah at the time, studied a particular sleep pattern: it’s about people who fall asleep very early, by 7pm, and get up at 2-3am. The cause of this unusual circadian rhythm seemed to be linked to some genes, as the studies of the two experts later demonstrated. But not all the subjects analyzed fit that model. “We looked at the Johnson family and realized that the short dorms go to bed at normal times – Fu clarifies -. But they get up very early, which means they only sleep a few hours. ‘ In 2009, the two scholars published the first discovery on short sleepers: have a mutation in the DEC2 gene. The team later discovered two more mutated genes, ADRB1 and NPSR1, by breeding genetically modified mice. Result: the mice slept for a limited time, without this having any negative effects on their health.
Memory works
Not only. The two scholars discovered some personality characteristics common to many short dorms: they are often ambitious people, but also positive, outgoing and optimistic. “They are not only awake, they are motivated. It is torture for them to do nothing, says Jones. In the Utah family some run marathons, one decided he was going to make a violin and he did it. ” The mice in the study were also more active and productive than the “normal” mice and seemed to have clear memories while sleeping less. Sleep is usually the time when the body consolidates memories and clears the brain of toxins. “Yet mice, and presumably humans with the short sleep gene mutation, remember well, while most people don’t remember much if they are deprived of sleep,” Fu explains. This could mean some people concentrate the beneficial effects of sleeping in a short time.
“I never take naps”
“There have been decades where I was seriously worried because it’s not something I can fix. I can’t say okay, I’ll start sleeping for seven or eight hours, ”says Brad. «I saw my habit as a curse, I fought it for so long – adds sister Janice -. I kept thinking “I need to sleep more”, because they tell you that you need eight hours of sleep to be healthy and able to function ». For its part Brad has not tried to impose his lifestyle on his wife or their children, neither of whom are short of sleep. “Brad has a remarkable memory and the same goes for his brothers and sisters who have these mutated genes – says his wife Rose -. They have some similar traits, in the sense that they are highly motivated people to be productive and they can do a lot ». Brad believes he has a genetic bonus, which allows him to deal with “the hundred things” he wants to do by giving him an extra two or three hours. “I am rarely tired during the day. I never take naps – concludes Brad -. These geniuses have allowed me to fill some important roles and positions. They gave me extra hours to do the things I like, to be with the people I love. It is a true gift ».
Sleepless and short dorms
Experts are well aware that our night’s rest also depends on genetic issues. “There is no ideal sleep time that is valid for everyone, because it is written in everyone’s genes. To say that an adult must sleep 7-8 hours every night it is a simplification, even if it concerns the majority of individuals – he explains Luigi Ferini Strambi, head physician of the Sleep Medicine Center of the San Raffaele Turro Hospital in Milan and professor of Neurology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University -. A recent report by a group of international experts, coordinated by me and published onEuropean Journal of Neurology, shows that little sleep can be related to different phenotypes, with peculiar genetic characteristics. The “insanni“Are people who would like to sleep but can’t, the”sleep deprived“Could sleep but they do not do it for pleasure or for necessity (for example work), the”short dorms“They simply need fewer hours of sleep than the rest of the population. This is the case of Brad Johnson, but not only. Short dorms are infrequent, but not very rare either. They obviously benefit from having more time to do what they love, being perfectly rested. Even the fact that they are often people of good character can have an explanation: just think of the fact that sleep deprivation is used to treat depression in some patients who do not respond to classic drug therapies. In conclusion, the studies of Jones and Fu could pave the way for new knowledge on the mechanisms of night rest ». Which are, without a doubt, mysterious and fascinating.
June 28, 2021 (change June 28, 2021 | 21:21)
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