Are you a “Morning Person”, or a “Night Owl”? Whatever your answer to that question happens to be, it is due to your genes. Scientists have discovered a gene that influence sleep duration. This could help explain why some people find that they are much sleepier during the day than they are at night.
I am definitely not a morning person. I would much rather do my work late in the evening, (and into the wee hours of the morning). I have problems waking up earlier than noon, even if an alarm is set. Sometimes, I wonder if my chronic allergies have something to do with my preference to be mostly nocturnal. After all, one doesn’t breathe in as much pollen at night, after the flowers have closed.
I come from a family filled with “night owls”. My sister also has a difficult time waking up in the morning. Our mother is not someone who can get up early, jump out of bed, and start her day. Both of my brothers are typically awake late at night, (and might even be working the “graveyard shift” at their jobs). It seems as though being a “night owl” is something that runs in my family.
Now, there seems to be some genetic evidence that goes along with my suspicion. Scientists at Germany’s Ludwig Maximalians University of Munich have discovered what is being referred to as the “morning person” gene. It is a gene called ABCC9. This gene influences sleep duration.
The scientists looked at responses to a sleep survey that was given to more than 4,000 Europeans. The respondents came from seven different countries. Each person had their genome scanned. The scientists found that people who had two copies of a certain variant of the ABCC9 gene reported sleeping for shorter periods than did people who had two copies of a different version of that gene.
The ABCC9 gene has previously been linked with two disorders that also can run in families. It is connected to heart disease and diabetes. This new study can be added to a growing number of research that indicates sleep duration has an effect on other health conditions.
The study also points out something interesting. Our society tends to equate sleepiness during the day with negative traits. It is assumed that the person who is tired during the morning hours is lazy, or perhaps depressed. In reality, that person could be someone who doesn’t have the “morning person” gene. The scientists believe that people need to accept that sleep duration is something that is genetically determined, and that it is not a character flaw.
Image by Joanna Poe on Flickr