Sleep-Wake Cycle Determined by Gene

A research, reported in Nature by scientists in the US, has come to the conclusion that the time we get up or the time we go to sleep is determined by a gene.

Studying the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, Northwestern University scientists in Evanston, Ill., state that the findings can be applied to other organisms, including humans. When the gene, named ‘twenty four’, is missing, the PER protein in the neurons of the brain, regulating the circadian rhythm, is impacted; and, when there is very little of this protein, the sleep-wake cycles get disturbed.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders - Types, Causes, Health risks, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis
Circadian rhythm (also known as sleep/wake cycle or the body clock) is a biological process that follows an internal cycle of roughly 24 hours.

Dr. Ravi Allada who led the study remarked, “The flies without the twenty-four gene did not become much more active before dawn. The equivalent in humans would be someone who has trouble getting out of bed in the morning."

Source-Medindia

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Sleep is a behavioral state of restricted physical activity. It is controlled by our internal biological clock.

Quiz on Sleep Disorder
The comfort of modern life comes at the cost of restful sleep! "Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone-Anthony Burgess" Scientifically it is proven that a good night's sleep is imperative for maintaining a balance between the physical, emotional and behavioral well-being of a person.

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How many times have you stayed awake in the dead of the night counting sheep? If it is fairly often then you could be suffering from a sleep disorder!