• Question: Do any animals never sleep, e.g. types of birds that hardly ever land?

    Asked by alicegch to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 15 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by sophk.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 15 Jun 2012:

      Yes, what we consider sleep is defined by REM and a particular brainwave patterns. As such, only birds and mammals technically sleep.

      Reptiles, fish, and single celled organisms don’t sleep though they may have periods of sleep like states and inactivity/rest!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 15 Jun 2012:

      Some marine animals, like sharks, don’t fall into a deep sleep but they have periods of deep rest, so all animals sleep in one way or another, just some for longer and deeper periods than others.

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