Staying up late and then not waking up till noon the next day is so common now that people sleeping at the time are considered to be a bore. Midnight movies, scrolling through social media, and late late-night work sprints are all so addictive that sleep becomes secondary. 

Lack of sleep can interfere with a bunch of daily activities like work, school, driving, and social functioning. People with sleep deficiency have trouble learning and focusing. 

The most affected generation of this is Generation Z, the people who were born between 1997 and 2012. This generation has the hardest time sleeping, and the reason is 24/7 digital engagement. 

Recent studies show that Gen-Z experience record levels of sleep deprivation, and many of them struggle to get even 6 hours of sleep per night. One of the significant factors of this is the overuse of technology, particularly smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

Let me make it very clear to you, sleep is not just rest, it is a critical biological process to keep our body and, more importantly, our DNA healthy. Not only the blue screen exposure but also our daily tech habits can damage our DNA. 

Yes, you read that right, a healthy sleep schedule is not only good for eye bags and dark circles but also important for keeping your DNA strong and healthy.  

Sleep Schedule and our DNA:

Our body has an internal sleeping clock, “circadian rhythm”, which decides our sleeping schedule. You can read the full article about circadian rhythm and our genes on our website. 

Related article: Can’t Wake Up Early? Your DNA Might Be the Reason, Research Says.

Our sleep schedule may slightly vary from individual to individual, but it has been set up by our DNA during evolution. Basically, our DNA knows when to sleep and when to wake up. 

When we mess up this sleep schedule set by our body’s internal clock, not only do we compromise our health and eyes, but our DNA has to pay the price, too.

When we are asleep, our cells carry out essential maintenance that our body requires after a full day of stress. Processes like DNA repair, maintenance and regulation, etc, are all done while we are sleeping. 

It’s like our body resetting after a long day of work. 

To make the point clearer, let’s review some of the studies showing the negative impact of a disturbed sleep cycle on our DNA and genetics.  

According to a study published in the Association of Anaesthetists, working in night shifts, staying up late or even losing just one night of proper sleep can cause actual DNA damage. 

In this study, researchers found that sleep deprivation triggers oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is basically a chemical imbalance in the cells that can adversely affect our DNA. This oxidative stress results in DNA strand breaks and alters DNA repair pathways by affecting genes’ activities involved in DNA repair.  

The key DNA repair genes, such as ERCC1, OGG1, and  XRCC1, which are essential for fixing the genetic errors, were found to show lower activity in sleep-deprived people.

Now, we have to understand that when these genes slow down, damaged DNA starts accumulating, and this accumulation of damaged DNA increases the risk of harmful mutations, cancers, and other chronic diseases over time. 

The study also emphasises on how night-shift workers showed greater damage. Firstly, their DNA repair activity was already lower than that of a regular sleep schedule, and then it dropped even further after a night of acute sleep loss. 

In fact, research also showed that doctors working overnight shifts showed over 25% more DNA damage compared to those who worked during the day. 

Another research published in the journal Frontiers explores how sleep deprivation can also cause epigenetic changes that can directly affect DNA function. 

Scientists described that sleep loss alters gene expressions in neurons, particularly by modifying the brain’s epigenome. Epigenomes are like chemical instructions that control which genes are active and which ones are not.  

A major pathway that was studied was DNA methylation. Normally, the methylome, that is, the methylation pattern across the genome, helps regulate brain function. When sleep is disrupted, these methylation patterns can change, resulting in abnormal gene activity that can cause impaired neuronal plasticity, learning and memory. 

Sleep loss can also trigger other epigenetic shifts like histone modification and altered non-coding RNA levels, and these can also collectively disrupt the brain’s molecular balance.  

Related article: How Regular Exercise Benefits Your Genetic Health.

Key Takeaways: 

• Sleep well, take the necessary sleep of 8 hours. 
• Avoid working late or night shifts. 
• Avoid using the bluescreen (mobile & laptop) for at least 1 hour before sleep. 
• Try going to sleep at 10.30 at night. 
• Avoid late-night fun. 

Wrapping up 

I repeat again, “sleep is not just resting”, and now I hope you understand this phrase better. 

Through all these studies, scientists gave a clear message that our sleeping patterns play a large role in our DNA’s health. Adjusting according to our sleep cycle helps us improve our DNA integrity and overall genetic health. 

Now it’s time we have to think seriously about our genetic health and wellbeing. Share this article and subscribe to Genetic Education. 

Resources: 

• Cheung, V., et al. “The Effect of Sleep Deprivation and Disruption on DNA Damage and Health of Doctors.” Anaesthesia, vol. 74, no. 4, 25 Sept. 2018, pp. 434–440, https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.14533.
• Gaine, Marie E., et al. “Sleep Deprivation and the Epigenome.” Frontiers in Neural Circuits, vol. 12, no. 14, 27 Feb. 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2018.00014.
• Spafford, Richard. “Gen Z Has the Hardest Time Sleeping—and Here’s Why.” USA Medical Supply, 7 Feb. 2025, uscpap.com/blogs/news/gen-z-has-the-hardest-time-sleeping-and-here-s-why. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.