Can you be awake and asleep at the same time? - Masako Tamaki
TED-Ed・4 minutes read
Many animals, including birds and mammals, experience asymmetrical sleep patterns where one brain hemisphere is in deep sleep while the other remains active, allowing for essential functions to continue. Humans also exhibit asymmetrical sleep, as shown by the "first night effect," where the right hemisphere experiences deeper sleep to stay vigilant in unfamiliar environments.
Insights
- Animals like birds, mammals, and marine creatures have asymmetrical sleep, enabling one brain hemisphere to rest while the other stays active for essential functions like swimming and staying alert.
- Humans exhibit asymmetrical sleep patterns, showcasing the "first night effect" where one hemisphere experiences deeper sleep than the other, indicating a vigilance mechanism in unfamiliar environments for quicker threat response.
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Recent questions
Do animals experience asymmetrical sleep?
Yes
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Summary
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Animals and Humans Exhibit Asymmetrical Sleep Patterns
- Many animals, including birds, mammals, and marine creatures like dolphins and fur seals, experience asymmetrical sleep where one brain hemisphere is in deep sleep while the other remains active, allowing them to continue essential functions like swimming, breathing, and staying alert to threats.
- Birds such as mallard ducks and frigatebirds also exhibit asymmetrical sleep patterns, with some sleeping with one hemisphere at a time, especially during activities like migration or while on the peripheries of groups.
- Humans also display asymmetrical sleep patterns, as seen in the "first night effect" where the right hemisphere experiences deeper sleep while the left hemisphere remains more active, suggesting a vigilance mechanism in unfamiliar environments to respond faster to potential threats.
