Health & Medicine
DNA: Being A 'Morning Person' May Be Genetic, Study Says
Matt Hoffman
First Posted: Feb 02, 2016 12:56 PM EST
The leading personal genetics company, 23andMe Inc., recently concluded a study on the human genome, one of the largest of its kind, that shows that preference to mornings or nighttime may be genetic.
The genome-wide association study examined 15 locations in DNA that are associated with having what the researchers termed "morningness," otherwise known as being a "morning person."
"Morningness" has been controlled by the circadian rhythm and individuals' differences in it, which have been linked to traits like sleep, depression and obesity. The researchers saw more than 89,000 participants, and discovered that seven of the DNA locations were somewhere near the genes that control circadian rhythm, among them HCRTR2, which is linked to narcolepsy (inability to sleep); FBXL3, which is associated with extended circadian periods; and VIP, which has been shown to prolong REM sleep.
"In this study we set out to discover more about an individual's preference toward early rising and were able to identify the genetic associations with 'morningness' as well as ties to lifestyle patterns and other traits," Dr. Youna Hu, the lead researcher, said. "This type of study speaks to the power of the 23andMe database, which can yield genetic insights into a variety of conditions and traits, and potentially how those genetic factors are affected by behavior and environment."
Of the 89,000 participants, the study found that 43.6 percent displayed signs of "morningness," and that women and adults over the age of 60 were most likely to be morning people. Interestingly, those who are morning people are significantly "less likely to have insomnia, or require more than eight hours of sleep per day, and less likely to suffer from depression" than their counterparts, according to the news release.
The study also found that of the 89,000 participants, 56 percent considered themselves to be "night owls," having a preference to nighttime over the morning.
"The beauty of 23andMe is the ability to conduct research on common traits like being a lark or a night owl, which affect everyone, yet typically wouldn't receive funding for a study," senior research scientist and coauthor Dr. David Hinds said. "With the information we have, we can uncover the genetics behind a variety of conditions and diseases, and hopefully reach a better understanding of how we differ from one another."
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TagsMorningness, Mornings, Morning person, Being a morning person, Genetics, DNA, Morning person genetic, Circadian Rhythm, 23andMe, Human Genome, HCRTR2, Narcolepsy, FBXL3, VIP, REM sleep, Youna Hu, David Hinds ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Feb 02, 2016 12:56 PM EST
The leading personal genetics company, 23andMe Inc., recently concluded a study on the human genome, one of the largest of its kind, that shows that preference to mornings or nighttime may be genetic.
The genome-wide association study examined 15 locations in DNA that are associated with having what the researchers termed "morningness," otherwise known as being a "morning person."
"Morningness" has been controlled by the circadian rhythm and individuals' differences in it, which have been linked to traits like sleep, depression and obesity. The researchers saw more than 89,000 participants, and discovered that seven of the DNA locations were somewhere near the genes that control circadian rhythm, among them HCRTR2, which is linked to narcolepsy (inability to sleep); FBXL3, which is associated with extended circadian periods; and VIP, which has been shown to prolong REM sleep.
"In this study we set out to discover more about an individual's preference toward early rising and were able to identify the genetic associations with 'morningness' as well as ties to lifestyle patterns and other traits," Dr. Youna Hu, the lead researcher, said. "This type of study speaks to the power of the 23andMe database, which can yield genetic insights into a variety of conditions and traits, and potentially how those genetic factors are affected by behavior and environment."
Of the 89,000 participants, the study found that 43.6 percent displayed signs of "morningness," and that women and adults over the age of 60 were most likely to be morning people. Interestingly, those who are morning people are significantly "less likely to have insomnia, or require more than eight hours of sleep per day, and less likely to suffer from depression" than their counterparts, according to the news release.
The study also found that of the 89,000 participants, 56 percent considered themselves to be "night owls," having a preference to nighttime over the morning.
"The beauty of 23andMe is the ability to conduct research on common traits like being a lark or a night owl, which affect everyone, yet typically wouldn't receive funding for a study," senior research scientist and coauthor Dr. David Hinds said. "With the information we have, we can uncover the genetics behind a variety of conditions and diseases, and hopefully reach a better understanding of how we differ from one another."
Related Articles
Caring About Others: Teens Who Receive Support From Others More Likely To Be Caring
Neural Efficiency: Challenging Mental Skills Can Maintain Health In Aging Brains
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone