What Genes Tell Us About Sleep | Ying-Hui Fu | TEDx

How do our genes influence our sleep patterns? How are digital devices changing sleep habits? Dr. Fu has studied the genetics and biology of neurodegenerative diseases for many years and most recently, has focused her work on human sleep behavior. Despite the fact that sleep is an essential component of the human experience occupying about one third of our lives, little is known about what sleep is and how it’s regulated. It is clear that chronic disruption of sleep leads to increased risks of not only motor vehicle accidents, but also many diseases such as cancer, obesity and diabetes, autoimmune disorders, neurodegeneration, and psychiatric diseases.