Gene mutation helps explain night owl behavior
Thursday, April 6, 2017 - 15:21
in Biology & Nature
Some people stay up late and have trouble getting up in the morning because their internal clock is genetically programmed to run slowly, according to a new study. A mutation in a gene called CRY1 alters the human circadian clock, which dictates rhythmic behavior such as sleep/wake cycles. Carriers of the gene variant experienced nighttime sleep delays of 2-2.5 hours compared to non-carriers.