Health

Meet the Sleepless Elite Who Only Need a Few Hours of Shut-Eye Each Night

First, some mood music:

Now to business:

There’s a fascinating article in today’s Wall Street Journal about people who can function on far less sleep than the rest of us. “Short sleepers”–1%-3% of the population–need only several hours of sleep a night to get through the day. And they don’t need power naps, nor do they need exorbitant amounts of caffeine. The simply have a rare genetic abnormality that makes sleep more of a nuisance for them than a necessity.

Meet the Sleepless Elite Who Only Need a Few Hours of Shut Eye Each Night

The Wall Street Journal describes the characteristics of “short sleepers”:

They are also energetic, outgoing, optimistic and ambitious, according to the few researchers who have studied them. The pattern sometimes starts in childhood and often runs in families.

While it’s unclear if all short sleepers are high achievers, they do have more time in the day to do things, and keep finding more interesting things to do than sleep, often doing several things at once….

A few studies have suggested that some short sleepers may have hypomania, a mild form of mania with racing thoughts and few inhibitions. “These people talk fast. They never stop. They’re always on the up side of life,” says Dr. Buysse. He was one of the authors of a 2001 study that had 12 confirmed short sleepers and 12 control subjects keep diaries and complete numerous questionnaires about their work, sleep and living habits. One survey dubbed “Attitude for Life” that was actually a test for hypomania. The natural short sleepers scored twice as high as the controls.

Jealous yet? You will be once you read this:

To date, Dr. Jones says he has identified only about 20 true short sleepers, and he says they share some fascinating characteristics. Not only are their circadian rhythms different from most people, so are their moods (very upbeat) and their metabolism (they’re thinner than average, even though sleep deprivation usually raises the risk of obesity). They also seem to have a high tolerance for physical pain and psychological setbacks.

“They encounter obstacles, they just pick themselves up and try again,” Dr. Jones says.

The Journal also notes that being a short sleeper isn’t something you can learn–sorry, folks. These optimistic, and thin, and energetic, and outgoing, and sleepless individuals will remain an elite cadre. Meanwhile, the rest of us can toil away, enslaved as we are to our endless cups of coffee, stolen power naps, and eight-hour sleep cycles.

Comments (56)

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  • I-HATE-THE-WORD-DISENFRANCHISE
    Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:51am

    They say don’t let your kids sleep in your bed, because now I find myself on the couch my kids and wife in my bed. The plus side is I get to catch up on the news. Well I don’t think you can call news these days plus.

    Report Post »  
    • lillianrose
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 5:19am

      “now I find myself on the couch my kids and wife in my bed. ”
      My hubby sleeps on the couch because I am now a light sleeper and can’t sleep when he is there due to his loud snoring, but when I come out I usually find our youngest on top of him or wedged behind him snoozing or watching tv – and still he just sleeps right thru it.

      Report Post »  
  • sadmanwhossane
    Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:06am

    i was a short sleeper until i got into my late 40s, now its 7 hrs tops.

    Report Post »  
  • BlueNight
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:39pm

    To quote Mr. Glass, “However unreal it may seem, we are connected, you and I. We’re on the same curve, just on opposite ends.”

    Report Post »  
  • ccr
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:40pm

    Is Glenn one of them?! He sounds like he doesn’t get much sleep!

    (Love that Beck!)

    Report Post »  
  • Katydidnt
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:33pm

    i slept so much as a teenager, my mother said, I would be known as one of the great horizontals. My mother meant that in the purest way. Oy

    Report Post »  
    • lillianrose
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 5:11am

      While growing up it was early to bed early to rise, sleeping 10 hours a night and naps when I got sneak one in. It was that way until the day I had my first child, have not had a full night sleep since and have become a light sleeper, it’s been that way for over 20 years now. My youngest is now 9 and don’t expect any changes in sleep for a long time. I could dream…

      Report Post »  
  • Typical Bitter Clinger
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:18pm

    …..I need my beauty sleep..(if you saw me you’d agree)-I looooove sleepin’ long and late but only can on a weekend( if not workin’ Saturdays.)…Sundays dont work-gotta get up early and go to Church…(no wonder I’m fugly!)-Catch 22…..how ’bout a study on that???…heeheeheeeeee

    Report Post » Typical Bitter Clinger  
  • Protege
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:08pm

    I was like that until my kidneys started to fail. Now I only get 6 hours a night instead of 3 or 4 every other. Tragic. Life goes on!

    Report Post » Protege  
  • UlyssesP
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:02pm

    I’ve always wished I could have the metabolism of a snake. I would eat for a day, sleep for a day, and spend the next five days awake not needing to eat.
    I’m not well.

    Report Post » UlyssesP  
  • WHITE LOTUS2x
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:00pm

    At my age I dont sleep much simply because I`m afraid I wont wake up. Lotus.

    Report Post »  
  • powpow20
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:57pm

    LOL SNOWLEOPARD! I love, love, love my sleep! And come from a long family line of nappers. Or is it a family line of long nappers??

    Report Post »  
  • powpow20
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:53pm

    LOL SNOWLEOPARD! I love, love, love to sleep. And I come from a long family line of nappers. We can nap with the best!

    Report Post »  
  • TexasCommonSense
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:50pm

    It doesn’t last forever. Al ways remember, they’re a blessing. I find that hard to remember myself having three teens. Ya just want to beat them sometimes. :,)

    Report Post » TexasCommonSense  
  • CaptainSpaulding
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:49pm

    ….I think the guys running our country are in a permanent state of hybernation, but that has nothing to do with this story….

    Report Post »  
    • UlyssesP
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:03pm

      More like they’re suffering some kind of somnambulism, but yes, not fully awake for sure.

      Report Post » UlyssesP  
  • thermonator
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:42pm

    I love sleep, and I am very grateful that God turns the lights out every night to make my sleep as restful as possible. ;)

    Report Post » thermonator  
  • chips1
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:40pm

    If my wife finds out about this, there goes my weekend sleep ins. Thank goodness she is a Dem and wouldn’t understand.

    Report Post »  
  • AmericanStrega
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:37pm

    I only get 3 to 4 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This is not caused by some genetic abnormality. It’s caused by having to work 10 to 12 hour days with a 1 hour drive to and from work. No rest for the 333 (I’m only half evil) ;)

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:32pm

    Try being bi polar and having Obama as president…bad dreams indeed for a sleepless time.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • TexasCommonSense
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:48pm

      Yes, he has caused me to lose some sleep, too. Some of the things he has done baffle me and really tick me off to no end. He has shown little respect for our country and what made it great.

      Report Post » TexasCommonSense  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:14pm

      Well I don’t believe I have all those wonderful traits, but I have averaged two hrs sleep a night since I was a baby. It was great for years because I did get so much done.But with medical problems not it is a pain in the rear because I want to sleep.Sleeping pills only increase it to maybe three hrs and sometimes not. My husband on the other hand requires 8 prefers 12, now that he is retired.He also can take naps, We make a wonderful couple, don’t we? lol Snow, I have OCD, it‘s fun isn’t it?

      Report Post »  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:31pm

    Are they called farmers?

    Report Post »  
  • axel@25
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:30pm

    I’ve heard it said, that Mark Twain hardly ever slept. He described sleep as “little snippets of death”.

    Report Post »  
    • AmeriCat
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 4:50am

      I wonder if Shakespeare was a “short sleeper?”

      Report Post »  
  • Showtime
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:24pm

    @Joe ~
    It’s called “survival.”

    Report Post » Showtime  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:20pm

    Zombies

    Report Post »  
    • vic138
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:57pm

      I loved “the walking dead”, you sound like a fan too.

      Report Post » vic138  
  • texanpatriot
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:18pm

    I have been out of work for 2 1/2 years and just got a job. Boy this is rough. Getting up a 6AM instead of when I woke up. LOL
    Love the job and I will adjust. Thank you Lord – he made us to work, if not to sleep a lot for some of us.

    Report Post » texanpatriot  
    • TexasCommonSense
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:47pm

      Good for you, texanpatriot. God gave each of us true talents to use; I‘m glad you’re able to use yours.

      Report Post » TexasCommonSense  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:06pm

      Texanpatriot

      Sorry about having to get up in the mornings but glad you got a job. Way to go!!!

      Report Post »  
    • AmeriCat
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 4:49am

      Congratulations, Texanpatriot :-)

      Report Post »  
  • Founder
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:15pm

    I will go one further, I only take naps, an hour here and hour there which ads up to about 4 hours a day sleep.. then one day a week ( Sunday ) I have my “crash” day, where I sleep for about 8 hours. I have always been this way since I was a kid.

    Report Post »  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:15pm

    I suppose this would be an human interest story if I weren’t sleeping.

    Report Post »  
  • miles from nowhere
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:11pm

    I like sleeping but only average six hours a night, hope I do not have this genetic defect.

    Report Post »  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:46pm

      To date, Dr. Jones says he has identified only about 20 true short sleepers
      —————
      I must be the 21st I think

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:22pm

      this is nothing new…mothers have been short sleepers for years…I believe I’m on my twentyfourth year of hardly no sleep!

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • tierrah
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:31pm

      Hey, Cheez, guess I’m the 22nd! Especially lately caring for my mother who has alzheimer’s. The disease is crazy! She is up and down all hours of the night so I have to get up to watch her. I’m a light sleeper so it takes a long time for me to go back to sleep.

      Report Post » tierrah  
    • sing it out
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:36pm

      I wish I had this genetic defect!! I can hardly function with less than eight hours of sleep.

      Report Post » sing it out  
    • joseph Fawcett
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:04pm

      Now that I am older (52), I am getting more sleep. I can function on just a few hour, but I am not a happy camper and my attituted goes down hill fast. I now only work four days a week, not by choice, however I have to admit that I am enjoying the third day off and find myself *needing* to take a several hour nap some days. I have always been an night owl, that is why I functioned most of my life on little sleep. I thinking my body is now thinking it can play catch up. I wonder how long would 40 years of little sleep would take to catch up?

      Interesting story, thanks.

      http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist

      Report Post » joseph Fawcett  
    • Untameable-kate
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:26pm

      Godlovinmom
      You got that right, late to bed and early to rise. I love being my little boys’ mom, lack of sleep and all.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:22am

      Kate…and after motherhood…comes menopause…night sweats and mood swings…equals no sleep…nice!

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 12:41am

      @ tierrah
      When I started my business, I could go on for 48 hrs with no sleep, then sleep for 6-8 hrs and get back to work.
      I still do it from time to time and feel no pain. I have gone a few times with just 3-4 hrs of sleep every 2 days . Guess there are others like me too

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • dr_funk
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 1:48am

      I bet they also die quicker…

      Report Post »  
    • tierrah
      Posted on April 6, 2011 at 2:15am

      @Cheezwhiz: are you a light sleeper? Does that factor into why some folks can get by with less sleep?

      Report Post » tierrah  
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