Short Sleepers are those who only require a few hours of sleep each night. They can function perfectly well on far fewer hours than the average person, who typically needs around eight hours of sleep every night.
Most adults need seven or more hours of sleep on a regular basis in order to maintain good health and performance. However, a small percentage of adults are short sleepers who are able to feel alert and refreshed after just six hours, being able to operate normally during the day despite their lack of sleep.
If you're a short sleeper, this is your natural way of being and not an intentional effort to limit or avoid sleep. The amount of time spent sleeping remains the same each night and is consistent on days off when more time to rest may be available.
A pattern of abbreviated rest often begins during childhood or early adulthood and tends to persist over time. This may concern those close to them; family or friends may think something is amiss. However, those who routinely get little sleep don't require more hours.
Many people in the UK are not getting the sleep they require, meaning they suffer from insufficient sleep syndrome. These individuals may try to make up for it by taking naps or extending their sleep on weekends or holidays. Short sleepers, however, have no need to do this; they don't have to “catch up” on rest.
Short sleeping differs from insomnia in that those who suffer from it have no issues with actually falling or staying asleep; furthermore, their sleep is usually of good quality. In contrast, insomniacs struggle to get enough rest and often find their sleep quality to be subpar.
Research continues to delve into the influence of genetics on sleep duration. Studies appear to point to a gene mutation as the cause for a person being able to carry out necessary activities with fewer than six hours of sleep each night.