The Wall Street Journal this week published a great article on individuals who don’t seem to need very much sleep to function at their fullest.
There has been some preliminary research that indicates the tendancy to be a so-called “Short Sleeper” may be genetic, and a group of scientists are working to put together a study. The problem, however, is finding the subjects. According to the researchers, out of every 100 people who say they’re short sleepers, perhaps five actually are. These scientists have devised a test, however. Part of the research subject screening process is a lengthy phone interview. During that interview, the most important question is whether the subject sleeps more when they don’t have anywhere they have to go in the morning.
The researchers say if you don’t sleep very much every day, you may be a short sleeper. If you sleep more on non-work days, such as weekends and vacations, then you’re not a short sleeper … you’re most likely just sleep deprived.