Can’t sleep more than 6 hours? You might have this rare sleep condition Short sleeper syndrome

Short sleeper syndrome (SSS) is a sleep condition in which a person sleeps less than six hours each night. Most adults need seven or more hours of sleep each night to feel rested in the morning. However, people with SSS can function normally throughout the day despite less sleep. They do not need to nap or sleep more than usual to recover from sleep deprivation. These people are different from short sleepers who choose to restrict their sleep.

People with SSS have a natural need for less sleep. They do not deliberately restrict or avoid their sleep. In fact, their short sleep pattern is consistent on most nights, including weekends and holidays.

The short sleep pattern usually begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood. Researchers believe it may develop because of a gene mutation. This mutation enables people to function well with less than six hours of sleep each night.

Short Sleeper Syndrome: Symptoms 

People with SSS sleep less than six hours each night and still function well throughout the day. Despite the short sleep, they can perform well at work or school. In addition, they do not feel the need to nap or oversleep on weekends.

Although SSS is not considered disordered sleep, you may have a sleep problem if you:

• Feel tired throughout the day
• Need at least one nap per day
• Have trouble falling asleep at night
• Have trouble staying asleep at night
• Wake up frequently throughout the night

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms several times a week.

Short Sleeper Syndrome: Causes 

Scientific evidence suggests that SSS may be linked to gene mutations.

A 2014 study at the University of Pittsburgh found that a small percentage of people carry a short sleep gene. This study compared identical twins, one of whom had the short sleep gene mutation and the other did not have the mutation. Both twins performed cognitive tasks regardless of the amount of sleep they had the previous night. The twin with the short sleep mutation outperformed their identical twin sibling who did not have the mutation.

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