Episode 03
Our curiosity about sleep is endless. Do you know what happens if no one sleeps? Why do some animals sleep standing up? There are many such questions to which we do not know the exact answer.
In today’s episode, I will discuss in detail six important questions about sleep. So let’s get started.
Read Episode 02
Are there animals that do not sleep?
All animals, even insects, must sleep. Even low-intelligence animals, whose brains are very small or not at all, need sleep. Of course, the nature of sleep in their case is different from that of humans or other mammals. These lower animals may become inactive for a while, or respond less to stimuli.
A study on fruit flies has shown that just as the human brain undergoes various biochemical reactions during sleep, it also occurs in those fly insects. So to speak, As a result of evolution, all animals in the animal kingdom are now in such a state that they need some form of sleep to survive.
Small animals mean less sleep, and larger animals mean more rest?
Animals that are relatively small, and often considered prey to larger animals, such as deer or sheep, sleep three to four hours a night. That is why it is said that smaller animals sleepless. However, it is not always true that this is the case.
Such as the case of Sindhughotak. It is but an animal quite large in size, yet it does not require much sleep. Occasionally it may stay awake for up to 74 hours without sleeping. It fills the pharynx (the junction of the trachea and esophagus) with air to stay afloat even during sleep. Again it can also hang on the ice surface biting teeth. Never stand it, never sleep again. They can sleep even at shallow temperatures.
Another large animal is the elephant, which does not sleep very long. This giant sleeps a maximum of two to four hours a day, chewing on all other foods (grasses). It usually sleeps standing up, but occasionally rests on a large weed mound or leaning against a tree.
Elephants rarely sleep on their backs or in cries, at least half an hour or less, so that no internal mutilation occurs under the pressure of their bodies. Some animals do not sleep again.
Such as some species of frogs. They may spend months without sleep. Just take a little rest with your eyes closed sometimes. These amphibians have a type of glucose in their body structure that protects their vital organs from freezing.
As a result, when their heart stops temporarily, and they cannot breathe, May still survive. This is why we see frogs “surviving” as soon as spring arrives after winter.
Why do animals sleep standing up?
As mentioned earlier, giraffes can survive by sleeping only 30 minutes a day. Meanwhile, the horse sleeps only two hours. These animals sleep 15 minutes apart, and they can do the job standing up. Of course, they have no choice but to sleep standing up.
For those with massive bodies and long necks, it is just as difficult for them to sit or lie down, but it is equally painful for them to get up once they sit or lie down. Since the enemy can attack them at any time, evolution has made it a habit to stand up and sleep and take small ‘power naps’ throughout the day.
But a big problem with sleeping standing like this is that sleeping in this way does not achieve the REM stage. So in some cases, they are forced to sit or relax. Some species of birds also sleep standing up, but the reason they sleep standing up is different.
They sleep because they can’t find a comfortable bed to sleep in. The wings have been shown solely to give a sense of proportion. The sides have been revealed exclusively to provide a sense of balance.
How does hibernation work?
Some animals sleep all winter or summer. The main reason for this is to save energy. Winter sleep is called hibernation. Summer sleep is called the estimation of summer sleep.
On the other hand, some species of animals go into such a state almost every day, such as the American badger or the thick tail opossum. Day shape, food supply, and temperature are signaled to the animals, whether it is time for them to go to hibernation or hibernation.
When they go into this specialized state of sleep, their blood circulation levels, brain function, and heart rate slow down. Remember, this dedicated sleep is entirely different from healthy rest. When animals go into this particular state, they can spend a long time without eating or removing body wastes.
Some bears wake up from hibernation to give birth and go back to hibernation after giving birth. The newborn continues to grow on its own, without maternal affection in the early stages of life.
However, this strategy of animals is also essential for survival. When there is an acute food crisis, if you are alert, you have to die from food poisoning. Isn’t it better to stay asleep?
Does lack of sleep affect animals?
Yes, some animals can die as a result of not sleeping for a long time. Mammals, especially rats, and some insects have been found to die from not sleeping for long periods.
However, it is difficult to determine the perceived damage that people do due to lack of sleep, whether in the case of animals. It is also difficult to say whether animals get tired all day if they do not sleep properly.
What is the difference between carnivorous and herbivorous sleep?
Carnivores usually sleep more than herbivores. For example, lions sleep in small spells all day and all night. This is because they want to store energy so that they can spend enough time taking it on their own whenever prey or food is available.
Again, how much an animal eats depends on its sleep time. Animals that have fewer calories in their diet also sleepless. However, this is not because eating more calorie foods leads to more sleep. Instead, animals that are low in calories have to spend more time finding enough food to provide them with the energy they need. Such large herbivores like giraffes or elephants sleep only 30 minutes to a few hours a day, which will give them the necessary power. Such large herbivores like giraffes or elephants sleep only 30 minutes to a few hours a day.