Some conditions that are passed down through a family’s genes are not exactly the kinds of things that anyone likes to talk about. Things like mental illness and alcoholism are very important to understand, yet discussion of them among family members may not be very frequent if they are discussed at all. This can make it difficult to know your family history of these conditions. If you know that someone in your family is an alcoholic or you suspect that there may be an alcoholic in your family, take heart. Although there are genes that are linked to alcoholism that … Continue reading →

Are you a “Morning Person”, or a “Night Owl”? Whatever your answer to that question happens to be, it is due to your genes. Scientists have discovered a gene that influence sleep duration. This could help explain why some people find that they are much sleepier during the day than they are at night. I am definitely not a morning person. I would much rather do my work late in the evening, (and into the wee hours of the morning). I have problems waking up earlier than noon, even if an alarm is set. Sometimes, I wonder if my chronic … Continue reading →