DID YOU KNOW: HOW DO WHALES SLEEP?
Whales can't sleep the way we do, which is mostly for the fact that they are not having a reflex or urge to breathe, but instead they control every breath they take and decide whether or when it's time to do so.
In contrary to most land mammals, whales therefore only rest one hemisphere of their brain at a time, whilst the other will stay alert so to control the whales' actions. That alertness ensures that the animal will surface to breathe, but also allows the brain to stay on the lookout for predators, obstacles or other animals in the area. Whilst resting, whales often float rather motionless close to or on the surface. The whales' naps don't last long usually, but they might take several throughout the day and the two hemispheres alternate periods of rest. Whilst sometimes they might sleep for just a few minutes at a time, a nap cannot take a lot longer than 30 minutes neither as the animal would otherwise risk its body temperature to drop too low due to inactivity.
- Sarah