Category: Animals > Sleep
Dolphins are known for their remarkable ability to remain conscious while they sleep, a behavior that sets them apart from many other animals. Unlike humans, dolphins cannot afford to lose complete awareness of their surroundings due to their aquatic environment and the need to surface for air. To accommodate this, dolphins employ a unique strategy called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep. This means that one hemisphere of their brain sleeps while the other remains awake and alert. This adaptation allows them to monitor for predators, maintain social interactions, and ensure they come up for air periodically. Additionally, they can switch sides, allowing both halves of their brain to get the rest they need without ever being entirely unconscious. This extraordinary behavior illustrates the incredible adaptations that animals have developed to thrive in their environments.