Sleep,one of the obvious thing of our life.After a busy day,when we become tired we need to take a break.This is mandatory to refresh and energise our body and mind.
Some of us tend to sleep more hours and some sleep less.We all have a particular sleep cycle. For us,6-8 hours of sleep every day is important.
But when we talk about sleep we always talk about humans.We forget the nature.Nature also take sleep.
We not only humans sleep.
Every single living things of this nature take sleep more or less.
Do we know how the animals living in the Amazon sleeps?
How fishes sleep in the ocean?How giant elephants take sleep?
Today we will talk about the sleep cycle of animals.We will talk about the nature around us.
We have talked a lot about sleep.But the question is why we sleep?
Yeah as we have said it removes tiredness and also refreshes our memory.Sleep increases our memory.
Our sleep is related directly with our brain.If I say specifically our sleep is related with the REM(Rapid Eye Movement).
REM is a stage of sleep.When we shut our eyes,and the movement of our eyes become random,our breath becomes fast and we stop our body movement that is REM sleep.
The importance of REM sleep is depend on the brain length of animals.If the shape of brain length is long,it needs more REM sleep.
It also depends on how the animal sleeps,sleep style,nature and species.
Say if an animal "A" thinks that when it is in sleep,it can be attacked by other animals,then "A" tends to sleep very less to protect themselves.
It is continued generation after generation for a millions of year.Then finally today we find some animals that exist sleep very less.
What is the difference between sleep cycle of herbivorous animals and carnivorous animals?
Generally carnivorous animals sleep more than herbivorous animals.Lions tend to sleep whole day and whole night.
They divide there sleeps in small spells.Lion need to hunt for food and to hunt they need a lot of strength.They save energy by sleeping.
On the other hand,sleep cycles is also dependent on the food habit.Those who eat low calorie foods sleep less time.
But this is not the fact that high calorie foods leads to long time of sleep rather those who eats low calorie food,they need to spend a lot of time daily to search for food.
There sleep time gradually decreases that way.
Thats why Elephants and Giraffes sleep 30 minutes to not more than few hours.They need to spent a lot of time daily,searching for food.
Do small sized animals sleep less and large animals sleep more?
Sometimes it's true but it is not true all the time. Sheeps and deers sleep 3-4 hours.
Because the small sized animals are often hunted by the large animals.A deer is hunted by lion itself.So to protect himself from the attack,they sleep very less.
Elephant is a good example of this. Elephant is enormous in size.
In comparison with the size it sleeps very less time.This giant,sleeps 2-4 hours everyday.
Elephants are herbivorous.They need tons of food every day and takes a lot of time to digest the foods.
That's why there sleep hours also become less.
They like to sleep standing.Sometimes they push there body against tree when sleeping.Most of the time they prefer to sleep standing.
There are also some species of frogs,they do not sleep at all.They can pass months after months without sleep.Sometimes they just take rest keeping there eyelid close.
Why some animals sleep standing?
We have seen some animals do not sit.They also sleep that way too.
Giraffes sleep only 30 minutes a day.On the other hand horses sleeps only 2 hours in a day.They take sleep in every 15 minutes.
They have enormous body and neck.For there body structure,this becomes tough to lay down.They also need to keep themselves aware of any attack.
That's why they adapted themselves that way.They take power nap in a regular intervals.But there is a problem sleeping that way.
They can't achieve REM stage.Sometimes they need to sit down to achieve that.
There are bird species who sleeps standing.But there reason is different.They don't find any comfortable place to sit down.
They tie there wings with there legs and keep there legs tied strongly with the branches of tree when they need to sleep.
What is hibernation?
When it's cold winter outside,there are scarcity of food,to save themselves from the hunger and strong weather these animals went into hibernation.
Normal sleep and hibernation is totally different.When an animal goes into hibernation it can pass days,months without eating food and without doing any chores.
When any animal dive into hibernation process,there internal body activity reduces.
When there is no food,if you are awake,you will die in hunger.Its better to sleep than die.
Its a coping mechanism of animals that is practiced for a long time.Bears dive into hibernation in the winter season.
How fishes sleep?
When a fish sleep they keep themselves without any impulsion.They flap their wings very slowly.
The sleep cycle of fishes are dependent on the nature and their work.Say any fish living in the aquarium,they adapt themselves with the light and shadow of the room.
Sharks always need to keep air supply to there lungs.Thats why they need to swim when they are sleeping.
They do not shut there eyes and do not enter into the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage.
Sleep has become an important part of our and our natures day to day life.Without a good sleep we can't we can't stay healthy and focused.
We can lead a happy and healthy life by sleeping a regulated routine time everyday.
