10 amazing facts about how animals sleep

Nature, at times, able to surprise us no less than dreamers in Hollywood. Well who would have thought that a horse, unlike elephants, do not sleep standing, dolphins disable half of the brain, and all Swifts sleep in flight. On this and many other things in our selection.

Horses

Contrary to popular belief, the modern domestic horses do not sleep standing up. Standing, they can only be in a state of some slumber. Full bed can not be called a pastime. To immerse yourself in real, deep sleep, during which will relax both body and mind, a horse, of course, lie. More often than not on his side. However, due to the nature of the body structure, its mass, as well as the intricacies of bones, sleep in this condition the horse can not be more than 3-4 hours. If the horse will lie on his side for more than 6 hours, it will begin pulmonary edema.

Dolphins

Dolphins, unlike other mammals, sleep, arranged very interesting way. When it comes to leisure time, it disables the dolphin only one hemisphere of the brain, closing the opposite eye. The other half of the brain at this time watching your surroundings, controls breathing and other basic physiological processes. During this dream dolphins can stay on the water surface, sometimes slow drift. In captivity dolphins are sometimes sleep on the bottom of the pool, occasionally rising to the surface for air.

Giraffes

Perhaps one of the most interesting questions - it's like sleeping giraffes? Indeed, at first glance, with a long neck to get a vacation is quite problematic. But the nature of all thought. Giraffes sleep, bending the neck so that the head is at the bottom of the hind limb. The whole process of laying takes 15-20 seconds. First giraffes sink to the chest and then in the stomach. Interestingly, the giraffes sleep only for a few minutes at a time. The duration of deep sleep per night less than 20 minutes.

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Whales

For a long time it was believed that whales sleep as well as dolphins - disabling one hemisphere alternately. But recent research scientists have shown that this is not so. It turned out that whales sleep during short periods of rapid immersion in water. Thus, a clear distribution of days of sleep and wakefulness they do not. Whales "gain" of 10-15 minutes of sleep for several hours.

Penguins

As is the case with horses, There is a myth that penguins sleep standing. This is certainly not the case, at least, not exactly. Firstly: the penguins in the world there are several types and many of them are sleeping in different ways. Here, for example, gentoo penguin, and some others are asleep, as if they were not weak party yesterday. Well, just without the hind legs. But the emperor penguins, which, too, is hardly a worthwhile. Rather, it's sitting posture. Penguins stand and walk very differently.

Hippos

Most of his life hippos spend in the water. Usually they are sleeping or on the flats, exposing the upper part of the head or completely immersed in water. In the latter case, reflexively hippos float to the surface every 3-5 minutes to take a breath. At the same time they do not even wake up.

Proteins

It is often said that squirrels are sleeping, wrapped up in a ponytail. Not that it was not so, but rather a part of the truth. In fact, the proteins in this respect are similar to many other animals, they sleep as will form. Just like we are. Sometimes they are wrapped in the tail, and sometimes like returning from partying penguins.

Elephants

To begin with, there is the African and Indian elephants, and they sleep in different ways. African often sleep standing up, leaning sideways against a tree trunk, or around his trunk. This is due to the fact that African elephants are afraid of overheating of the body is too hot soil. If the land is not too hot, they can sleep on the living, tucking his feet under him, or on his side. Indian elephants often sleep lying down, bending his hind legs, front and pulling forward and resting his head on them. Sleep elephants lasts about 2-3 hours. The animal can wake up, listen and sniff for danger, and then fall asleep again.

Opossums

Even some animals that refute the myths about their own dreams - it opossums. Yes, they have a very strong tail, yes, they can hang on it upside down on a tree branch, but they do not sleep in this position. Generally, possums are nocturnal animals, the day they rest, they sleep, but as it gets dark, go for prey. Opossums sleep a lot, sometimes up to 18-20 hours a day. To do this, they are located on a tree branch, or curled up in a hollow and another shelter.

Swifts

Generally, swifts are known for their records. This is one of the fastest-flying birds, and certainly the most long flying birds. Swift may be in the flight up to 4 years. All the while, the bird eats, drinks, sleeps and even mates fly. Young swift, first raised in the air, can fly up to 500 thousand kilometers, before the first landing. To sleep in a dream, the birds are gaining a greater height to three thousand meters and then fly at an angle to the wind direction changing flight direction every few minutes. Thanks to this rhythm, swifts continue to fly back and forth over the same spot. But in light winds, as seen in a dream swifts flying around.