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Published 9 years ago by Triseult with 36 Comments
 

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Conversation 8 comments by 6 users
  • TransDictator
    +6

    There's a great plot hidden in this. Imagine some gene splicing in the future, where the rich of the rich have become mutants that don't need any sleep at all.

    • Triseult
      +7

      You just described the premise of "Beggars in Spain" by Nancy Kress. Highly recommended, by the way! It's a fantastic novel, and it takes the concept of sleepless adults to some thought-provoking places.

      • TransDictator
        +2

        I guess it was a good idea for a plot then ^^

      • Nate
        +2

        There's also a great short story titled "Sleep" by Haruki Murakami that describes a woman's journey through 17 days without sleep. I wouldn't say that story is entirely thought-provoking in introducing new concepts, but as always with Murakami upon finishing the story you will realize how much it felt like a lucid dream.

        • Triseult
          +3

          That's such an awesomely accurate way to describe Murakami. Haven't read "Sleep," but now I want to!

      • Zeus
        +2

        Wow, it's... $3.03 on Kindle. I might have to check this out!

      • sergio
        +2

        Thanks for sharing, I'm going to read that novel. Sounds interesting.

    • shadow1515
      +1

      It's at the very least a feasible sci-fi novel if not actually feasible yet given recent successes at using CRISPR. There's a great Radiolab about this from a couple of weeks ago; when they get to the ethical implications they kind of just throw up their hands because of how overwhelming it is.

  • spaceghoti
    +11

    Is it too late to get that gene therapy?

    • Triseult
      +5

      I'd pay a premium for it... I'd even take a "loan" and work ten years of that "extra time" just so I can reap the benefits ten years down the line. And that's coming from someone who loves to sleep!

    • CuppaMatt
      +2

      If I could get this and the one that would perma-fix my hayfever I'd be happy!

  • snappleman
    +4

    Makes me want to try out another sleep cycle app. to determine when I should be waking up, and not just forcing myself to sleep a predetermined amount of time, possibly waking during an inopportune period in my sleep cycle.

  • sushmonster
    +4

    I'm very jealous! Would love the extra time in the day to do more and be more alive!

  • ChelsG
    +4

    My body likes 10 hours a night and I'm in my late twenties. I always assumed I would grow out of it but now I feel like I just have shitty genes. I would absolutely love to feel rested after six hours a night.

  • Muffintop (edited 9 years ago)
    +3

    I am quite sure that I have the opposite - a gene that let's me sleep more. Once I fall asleep, I can do 12 - 16 hours easily. So I can sleep like a teenager ever though way past that age. This might come in handy when I'm older though.. There's usually a certain age when people start complaining that they "can't sleep".

  • zenkaku
    +3

    Yup a friend has this all of us are jealous he can sleep so little each day without feeling tired its almost like a cheat

  • double2
    +3

    I've had some of my greatest life experiences whilst asleep, I wouldn't change it for the world!

  • Bazill
    +3

    I certainly don't have this. All I ever do is sleep. Up to 12 hours sometimes. I have heard that as you get older you require less sleep though. I believe my mother get's about 5 a night and it never seems to affect her.

  • nik
    +3

    I wish I had this gene. I sleep a normal amount, but I'd ideally only like to sleep only a couple hours and be able to do other things with my time.

  • loch
    +3

    Bummer that I don't have it, but hasn't there been a link discovered between sleep deprivation and mental instability? How are these people affected by it?

    • snappleman
      +2

      It seems as though that instead of being sleep deprived, they are just sleeping more efficiently, and thus not affected negatively.

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  • exikon
    +2

    Very interesting! I'd like to see a bigger study that compares health, especially in older people with this mutation. If they are as healthy or even healthier than normal people they truly have won the lottery...

  • PrismDragon (edited 9 years ago)
    +2

    Hmmm... It sounds nice to be able to sleep less and still be well-rested. I just wonder what some of the side effects of having this gene are.

  • wolfeater
    +2

    So jealous. I have to consume massive amounts of caffeine just to function these days even with a normal amount of sleep... would be so nice not to have to have a cup of coffee in my hand at all times.

    • snappleman
      +2

      I've seen a lot of success in supplanting heavy caffeine intake with heavy water intake, and less caffeine. Down to one energy drink, per day, on average. At one point, I needed one in the morning, and one for lunch. I found, though, that this was more of a habit than a need - and now don't crash between 3 and 5 pm anymore. I guess the type of work you do, and the amount of sleep you get would have an effect.

      • wolfeater
        +2

        Luckily for me my work is a little slower right now, but I definitely went through an insane caffeine phase (5 black 20oz cups a day) when I was working crazier hours (averaged 8-7:30 every day, sometimes as bad as 7-10:30 pm). I'm down to one or two cups now, but I still get crashes from time to time.

        Water intake definitely helps me though, and it is just so damn healthy anyways. I drink so much water most people look at me like I'm crazy. Haven't associated it with caffeine cutbacks but it very well could be helping as well. I kick the habit every once and a while, I just need to be better at keeping it under control during stressful, high intensity times. Luckily I feel I'm not the only one with this problem however.

        • snappleman
          +3

          One of the things that convinced me, that I read a few months ago, mentioned that drinking a bunch of water when you wake up will help hydrate you after essentially X hours of depriving your body of water. I used an app, Water Yourself, for a few days to build a habit of drinking more water. Realized really quickly that I would get by on 16 oz. a day, and that I was most likely dehydrated to an extent every day. Now, I drink more and honestly feel better.

          • MadameGlitch
            +1

            Is that an Android app? I searched for it but only came up with one called Water Your Body. Sounds like something I could really use and I want to make sure it's the recommended one.

  • Rothulfossil
    +2

    So this is how it feels to be on the losing side of genetic history... I think I'll go to sleep now.

  • flux
    +2

    This is in sharp contrast to someone like me who has insomnia. Sleeps less, but hates life.

  • gabe2068
    +2

    Life would feel a fuckton longer if you didn't have to sleep, and didn't get tired.

  • kvn
    +1

    If we can ever add new genes to ourselves, this will be the one I get!

  • shadow1515
    +1

    I'd like to get tested to see if I have this. I sleep 5 or 6 hours a night, which people already think is weird (I call it "being a parent", but to each his own) but it would be interesting to know if that's really "ok" or if I'm running up a sleep debt that will bite me in the ass later. I never really feel tired, but then again I consume a lot of caffeine.

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