Sleep is essential, but can we rewrite the rules to sleep less and still feel refreshed? Familial Natural Short Sleep (FNSS) mutations allow some to sleep 1-2 hours less without negative effects. The DEC2 gene is implicated in FNSS, affecting orexin levels which regulate sleep. Orexin is also linked to narcolepsy and insomnia treatments. Reproducing FNSS through gene therapy or orexin agonists poses unknown risks. FNSS carriers could have developed mechanisms to cope with elevated orexin, leading to efficient sleep. FNSS is rare but not harmful, suggesting survival rates may not improve with more efficient sleep. Better sleep engineering is possible, with limited studies on FNSS potential.
https://minjunes.ai/posts/sleep/index.html