Some people seem to need more sleep than others. If you sleep very little and feel alert, that could indicate a health problem as well as when you need much more than eight hours of sleep. A lot of research is currently being done on sleep and how it affects our functioning, alertness, and mental health.

What is it that makes some need only a few hours of sleep? According to Melinda Beck, writing for the Wall Street Journal, people who need less sleep, or those who sleep little, can get through the day sleeping less, maintaining their energy and good mood. They enjoy the extra time they have during the day to get things done. It comes naturally to them and they enjoy the time they have to relax and get more done.

People who sleep little are only one to three percent of the population. They sleep less than six hours a night, but go through the day energetically. Some researchers believe that this begins in childhood. There may be a gene involved in short sleepers, as it runs in families. While there are no tests to measure this, short sleepers tend not to go to sleep centers for sleep testing, so it’s hard to study this pattern.

One third of Americans sleep too little and this leads to diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. It is not enough to want to sleep less hours. It has to come naturally. With more research, we may be able to understand this phenomenon of little sleep and be able to regulate the amount of sleep we need.

While short sleepers often find sleep deprivation to be a benefit, others are tired even though they can no longer sleep. There’s the other side of the range where people need much more than eight hours of sleep or have trouble staying asleep through the night.

It takes the average well-rested person 10-15 minutes to fall asleep. If you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, you’re probably sleep deprived. Ideally, everyone should have eight hours or so a night. If you already get that much and are still tired, it’s important to see your doctor to rule out sleep-onset conditions, such as sleep apnea.

If you fall asleep but have trouble staying asleep, you may have depression or anxiety, or it could be a symptom of sleep apnea. People who drink alcohol may wake up during the night, even though they have had something to drink to relax and sleep better. Alcohol will not result in quality sleep.

Snoring is a major problem for many people who wake up during the night because it is a major disruptor of sleep. If you sleep with a snorer, you have poor quality sleep. That’s because sleeping next to a snorer, you wake up an average of 23 times a night. This can lead to weight gain and depression. This is when it’s important to see a sleep specialist so that both people sleep better.

Sleeping more than eight hours may indicate that you have a sleep disorder and are not sleeping well, so you need more time in bed to feel rested. If this is the case, you most likely have sleep apnea, which is a serious condition. Sleep apnea is a disease that prevents adequate air from entering the body. It can cause heart problems, daytime sleepiness, and depression. It is important to go to a sleep specialist to diagnose and treat it.

During these busy, fast-paced, and often stressful times, there are many reasons why we might get the wrong amount of sleep for our bodies. It’s easy to say that’s what your body likes or needs. In reality, it could be indicating that you need to change your pattern, diet, or check that you do not have a sleep-related illness.