I used to think heart disease would kill me

Turns out, it will be sleep deprivation:

While most of us can't seem to function with less than seven hours of sleep, some people seem just fine with three or four. The difference, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is genetic. [. . .] And while the gene was isolated and identified in fruit flies, the researchers say that people have it, too. [. . .]

The one thing that did plague these short-sleepers was a short life span: While normal flies have a life span of about three to four months, these non-sleepers tended to die two to three weeks earlier.

I guess I'd better start getting more than four hours, eh?

Though, for my money, this is the best line in the story:

"And while the human brain is arguably more complex than that of a fly, Cirelli said, she believes the work will translate to people."

Arguably. Heh.