Sleep. Why do we need it? What does it do for us? These questions and more are discussed on this shocking episode of National Geographic’s Explorer called Fatal Insomnia.

Fatal Familial Insomnia

Nat Geo delves into a rare genetic disease called fatal familial insomnia (FFI) which affects only forty families around the world, but is always fatal when it appears. By examining the brain from one of the victims of FFI, scientists discovered that the area affected by the disease is the thalamus - and the discovery was a breakthrough in studying sleep. Most people have experienced insomnia at some time in their lives, but nothing like what these FFI patients go through.

For hundreds of years, there have been many unexplained premature deaths within several families. After close study, scientists came up with FFI, which is passed from generation to generation. Today there is a test available for these family members to see if they are carrying the gene, but considering that if the answer is yes and they know they will definitely die well before they are 60, many of those with family backgrounds of FFI prefer not to know. However some definitely do take advantage of this test which, when the outcome is negative, gives them a hopeful outlook for a long life.

Lack of sleep will kill you. Why? The brain needs deep sleep to renew itself. There are five stages of sleep which occur several times each night. In FFI patients, they never get to the deep stage of sleep so their brains never shut down for much needed rest. Instead the brains are on constantly, which wears down the body and ultimately ends in death.

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