You are viewing Laila Zemrani's 23andMe Wellness report.

Deep Sleep

In the deepest part of the sleep cycle, your brain produces slow waves of electrical activity called delta waves. Deep sleepers have naturally stronger delta waves than lighter sleepers, which reflects increased sleep pressure that accumulates during the day.

Laila, based on your genetics, you are not likely to be an especially deep sleeper.

Several studies have linked a genetic variant in the ADA gene to differences in a certain type of brain activity that characterizes deep sleep, called delta waves. People with your genetic result have delta waves that are about as strong as average, and also tend to feel less sleepy than deep sleepers after a night of missed sleep.

What you can do

If you're concerned about your sleep, experts recommend simple habits like daytime exercise, a consistent sleep schedule, and avoiding caffeine. You can also consider talking to a healthcare professional.

Genetics and Deep Sleep

What is deep sleep?

Deep sleep is the phase of sleep when it's hardest to wake up. When you enter deep sleep, your brain cells communicate with each other in a specific pattern that produces slow waves of electrical activity called delta waves. This pattern of activity is very different from when you're awake, when brain activity is mostly composed of faster waves called alpha waves. Scientists think that the brain uses deep sleep to transfer memories of the day's events from temporary to longer-term storage.

The biology of sleep pressure

The longer we stay awake, the sleepier we get. This accumulating need for sleep is sometimes called "sleep pressure." A molecule called adenosine builds up in the brain the longer we stay awake, increasing sleep pressure and causing us to feel sleepy. Mid-day naps can help us feel more alert because they reduce adenosine levels and relieve the sleep pressure that has built up during the day.

Genetics

The genetic marker in this report is in the ADA gene, which contains instructions for an enzyme that helps control adenosine levels. Scientists think that adenosine builds up more quickly in people with one or two copies of the T variant at this marker. This extra adenosine increases sleepiness, leading to stronger delta waves. Because of this stronger sleep pressure, people with the T variant also report feeling sleepier than other people after a night of missed sleep. However, one study found that taking naps eliminated this difference in sleepiness.

  Genetic result What it means
TT
Likely to be an especially deep sleeper
CT
Likely to be an especially deep sleeper
You
CC
Not likely to be an especially deep sleeper
Genetic results of 23andMe customers by ancestry
Genetic result European African East Asian Latino South Asian
TT

Likely to be an especially deep sleeper

 0.3% 0.0% 0.4% 0.2% 2.0%
CT

Likely to be an especially deep sleeper

 10.4% 3.6% 10.5% 8.4% 22.1%
CC

Not likely to be an especially deep sleeper

 89.2% 96.3% 89.1% 91.4% 75.9%
TT

Likely to be an especially deep sleeper

European African East Asian Latino South Asian
0.3% 0.0% 0.4% 0.2% 2.0%
CT

Likely to be an especially deep sleeper

European African East Asian Latino South Asian
10.4% 3.6% 10.5% 8.4% 22.1%
CC

Not likely to be an especially deep sleeper

European African East Asian Latino South Asian
89.2% 96.3% 89.1% 91.4% 75.9%

A caffeine connection?

Caffeine works by interfering with adenosine, the same sleep-promoting molecule influenced by the genetic marker in this report. In one study, scientists found that people with the T variant had an easier time falling asleep after drinking coffee, compared to people without the T variant. But another study found no effect. No matter which version of the ADA genetic marker you have, it's probably a good idea to avoid caffeine late in the day to help you get a good night's sleep.

This report does not diagnose any health conditions or provide medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes or if you have any other concerns about your results.

Read Scientific Details

How deeply we sleep is influenced by a genetic marker in the ADA gene.

The ADA gene produces an enzyme called adenosine deaminase. This enzyme helps break down a molecule in our bodies called adenosine. Adenosine is important for regulating sleep, and the levels of adenosine in the brain increase the longer a person stays awake.

Chromosome 20
Gene: ADA

You have two copies of the C variant.

Variants Detected
View All Tested Markers
View All Tested Markers
Marker Tested
Your Genotype*
Additional Information

rs73598374

Gene: ADA
Marker: rs73598374

C

Typical copy from one of your parents

C

Typical copy from your other parent
See all information
See all information
Marker Tested
Your Genotype*

rs73598374

Gene: ADA
Marker: rs73598374

C

Typical copy from one of your parents

C

Typical copy from your other parent
  • Biological explanation

    The marker we tested comes in two different forms: C and T. The T version results in an enzyme that is less active, which causes more adenosine to accumulate. Many scientific publications refer to these versions of the marker as G and A, using the opposite DNA strand. This marker has been studied the most in people of European and Latino descent.

  • Typical vs. variant DNA sequence(s)

    C

    Typical Sequence
    Substitution

    T

    Variant Sequence
  • Percent of 23andMe customers with variant
    Variant: T
    European 10.7%
    African American 3.6%
    Ashkenazi Jewish 17.9%
    East Asian 10.9%
    Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
    South Asian 24.1%
    Middle Eastern 23.2%
  • References [ 1, 8, 9, 11, 12 ]

*This test cannot distinguish which copy you received from which parent. This test also cannot determine whether multiple variants, if detected, were inherited from only one parent or from both parents. This may impact how these variants are passed down.

23andMe always reports genotypes based on the 'positive' strand of the human genome reference sequence (build 37). Other sources sometimes report genotypes using the opposite strand.

References

  1. Bachmann V et al. (2012). "Functional ADA polymorphism increases sleep depth and reduces vigilant attention in humans." Cereb Cortex. 22(4):962-70.
  2. Cantero JL et al. (2002). "Human alpha oscillations in wakefulness, drowsiness period, and REM sleep: different electroencephalographic phenomena within the alpha band." Neurophysiol Clin. 32(1):54-71.
  3. Dijk DJ. (2009). "Regulation and functional correlates of slow wave sleep." J Clin Sleep Med. 5(2 Suppl):S6-15.
  4. Ermis U et al. (2010). "Arousal thresholds during human tonic and phasic REM sleep." J Sleep Res. 19(3):400-6.
  5. Landolt HP et al. (1995). "Caffeine reduces low-frequency delta activity in the human sleep EEG." Neuropsychopharmacology. 12(3):229-38.
  6. Mander BA et al. (2013). "Prefrontal atrophy, disrupted NREM slow waves and impaired hippocampal-dependent memory in aging." Nat Neurosci. 16(3):357-64.
  7. Mazzotti DR et al. (2011). "Effects of the adenosine deaminase polymorphism and caffeine intake on sleep parameters in a large population sample." Sleep. 34(3):399-402.
  8. Mazzotti DR et al. (2012). "Adenosine deaminase polymorphism affects sleep EEG spectral power in a large epidemiological sample." PLoS One. 7(8):e44154.
  9. Reichert CF et al. (2014). "Insights into behavioral vulnerability to differential sleep pressure and circadian phase from a functional ADA polymorphism." J Biol Rhythms. 29(2):119-30.
  10. Reichert CF et al. (2016). "Sleep-Wake Regulation and Its Impact on Working Memory Performance: The Role of Adenosine." Biology (Basel). 5(1).
  11. Retey JV et al. (2005). "A functional genetic variation of adenosine deaminase affects the duration and intensity of deep sleep in humans." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(43):15676-81.
  12. Riksen NP et al. (2008). "The 22G>A polymorphism in the adenosine deaminase gene impairs catalytic function but does not affect reactive hyperaemia in humans in vivo." Pharmacogenet Genomics. 18(10):843-6.
  13. Robillard R et al. (2015). "Sleep is more sensitive to high doses of caffeine in the middle years of life." J Psychopharmacol. 29(6):688-97.
  14. Walker MP. (2009). "The role of slow wave sleep in memory processing." J Clin Sleep Med. 5(2 Suppl):S20-6.
  15. Wei Y et al. (2016). "Synaptic Mechanisms of Memory Consolidation during Sleep Slow Oscillations." J Neurosci. 36(15):4231-47.
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