Amazing animals. Penguins fall asleep up to 10 thousand times a day

December 1, 21:52 Share:

Chinstrap penguins don't sleep for long (Photo: Paul-Antoine Libourel/Science)

Scientists studying birds in Antarctica have analyzed the sleep of chinstrap penguins. It turned out that they spend 11 hours a day in a state of microsleep, that is, they fall into sleep lasting a few seconds thousands of times a day.

A study conducted on King George Island found that this is how these birds keep their nests under surveillance, protecting their eggs and chicks from predators.

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Lead researcher Paul-Antoine Libourel noted that chinstrap penguins are able to maintain high brain activity during fragmented sleep, which is impossible for humans. They have been found to nap more than 10,000 times a day.. This is amazing, because it shows the complexity of the nervous system of these birds.

Penguins use microsleep to monitor their environment and ensure the safety of their nests.

Most interestingly, the study, based on electroencephalograms and video recordings, found a slight increase in sleep depth at midday, when the risk of predation is minimal.

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However, prolonged sleep can pose a risk to the eggs and hatchlings, as brooding chinstrap penguins leave the nest for several days while they search for food.

The new discovery was a sensation and expanded our understanding of the types of sleep and its impact on animal behavior.