Many believe that sleep has always been critically important to humans, both as a resource and a pure enjoyment source.  Today, the gold standard for sleep is 8 hours per night.  That, the scientific community assures us, is enough to feel rested and stave off various diseases. Clinical studies have shown that ensuring you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night keeps the immune system strong.  However, new research shows that the kind of sleep you get might be more important than how much. The Amount of Sleep People Need Depends on Genetics, Scientists Claim Rarely does quantity win out over quality, and the same is true for sleep.  Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered genes that regulate “elite sleep” in a lucky few humans.  This allows them to get the rest they need in only 4 to 6 hours, where the majority of us need closer to 8. …