Table of contents:
- What is that short sleeper syndrome?
- How short sleeper syndrome can occur?
- Short sleeper syndrome not a sleep disorder
- is short sleeper syndrome safe for health?
- Things to consider if your sleep duration is too short
The normal nighttime sleep time for adults ranges from 7-8 hours, and this has become a recommendation for adequate sleep time in general. Although sleep less than 6 hours can reduce health and activity performance, some people have very short sleep patterns, around 3-5 hours, but can do activities optimally. This short sleep pattern may be caused by Short Sleeper Syndrome experienced by only some people.
What is that short sleeper syndrome?
Short sleeper syndrome (SSS) is a term that refers to the abnormal sleep patterns experienced by only some people. Individuals with SSS do not deliberately limit sleep, nor do they take short naps because there is not enough time. Their bodies feel that they have had enough sleep with only 3-5 hours of sleep, and even this sleep pattern remains consistent on weekends and holidays.
Despite having shorter sleep times, they wake up from sleep refreshed and energized like individuals with normal sleep times, and do not have to "pay for" less sleep during the day.
How short sleeper syndrome can occur?
Changes in sleep time may occur during childhood or adolescence, and continue into adulthood. In addition to these factors, a study has shown that some people have a gene mutation that causes them to think and do activities normally despite having a shorter night's sleep This condition can be inherited, so that individuals with SSS may have family members with the same sleep patterns.
While sleeping, the body undergoes various cell repair processes including brain cells, and these processes have varying times. The condition of gene mutations that cause SSS can trigger cell repair while sleeping tends to be shorter.
Short sleeper syndrome not a sleep disorder
Sleep disturbances are caused by various unhealthy lifestyles and poor handling of stress. In addition, sleep disorders have their own patterns such as cycles, so that they continue to occur repeatedly and cause a person to experience health impacts and physical conditions. Individuals with SSS do not experience this, because they have their own biological clock as a result of gene mutation conditions.
According to a clinical neurologist from University of Utah, Dr. Christopher Jones (as reported by dreams.co.uk), "Individuals with SSS have a more upbeat mood and a thinner body shape, while individuals who experience sleep deprivation due to sleep disorders are more likely to be obese." He also added that individuals with SSS tend to be more resistant to pain and psychological stress.
is short sleeper syndrome safe for health?
In healthy individuals, SSS conditions do not cause health problems because they move according to their respective biological clocks. Just a short nap can fulfill the time for cell regeneration so that sleep time becomes more efficient and remains of high quality. But keep in mind, SSS conditions are not experienced by everyone. If you feel faint and experience sleep deprivation symptoms when you fall asleep for less than six hours, meet your normal sleep needs.
Things to consider if your sleep duration is too short
Apart from genetic conditions that cause sleep is too short, a person's sleep time can vary depending on consumption patterns, activity levels, and psychological conditions. Some people even need up to 11 or 12 hours of sleep to feel optimal body freshness. In addition, without realizing it, changes in sleep time can also make you accustomed to falling asleep too short or too long.
SSS is not experienced by everyone because it tends to be rare when compared to sleep disorders. Doctors distinguish SSS and sleep disorders by asking about patterns of activity. Some people also tend to endure daytime drowsiness with short sleep times, but this is still dangerous for health.
Sleep time that is too short can be triggered by several conditions including:
- Changes in working hours (shift)
- Psychiatric stress
- Experiencing chronic disease
- Habit of consuming caffeine
- Excess alcohol consumption or smoking
- Consumption of drugs containing simultaneously such as cocaine and amphetamines
If you have the same characteristics as above and / or have a sleep disturbance, it means that you do not have SSS and may need to improve your sleep patterns.
