Why deep sleep is a luxury some species can’t afford
Recent studies have shown that some animals, like the Chinstrap penguin, never enter long periods of sleep. Instead, they take thousands of microsleeps per day.
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Sleep exists across the animal kingdom but not always in the way humans experience it. Some animals don’t enter deep sleep at all, instead resting in unusual ways like half brain sleep, micro naps, or sleep like states. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Ants: Ants don’t sleep in long stretches. Instead, they take hundreds of tiny naps throughout the day, staying active almost constantly. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Bullfrogs: Bullfrog don’t show clear deep sleep. Even while resting, they remain alert and responsive to stimuli. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Dolphins: Dolphin never fully switch off their brain. They use unihemispheric sleep, where one half rests while the other stays awake so they can breathe and stay alert. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Fruit Flies: Fruit fly sleep extremely little, sometimes just minutes per day, yet continue to function normally. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Great Frigatebirds: Great Frigatebird can sleep while flying, using half their brain at a time. During long flights, they sleep very little, sometimes under an hour a day. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
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Jellyfish: Jellyfish don’t have brains, so they don’t sleep like mammals. Instead, they enter a sleep like inactive state with reduced movement and responsiveness. (Source: Photo by unsplash )
