Are the brains of short sleepers so efficient they are able to do more with less? Do they have more slow-wave sleep, the most restorative sleep stage? Do they generate higher amounts of cerebrospinal fluid, the liquid that bathes the brain and spinal cord, enabling them to get rid of more waste products? Is their metabolic rate different, helping them cycle in and out of sleep more quickly? These are the questions asked by Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University. Other researchers in the field cite possible genetic mutations; all agree, however, that people focus on getting the amount of sleep they need, recognizing it will be different for different people.
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