User:CaitlynS/sandbox

Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS) is sleep in which one half of an animal's brain is at rest, while the other half remains alert. During USWS, only one eye is closed, allowing the animal to remain alert to activity in its environment. It has been observed in various species of birds, dolphins, seals, lizards, and manatees. This type of sleep probably resulted from environmental factors such as an abundance of predators or the need to continue moving while asleep. Some birds are able to rest both halves of their brains at the same time to remain active for longer periods of time than would be possible with the mental alertness normal sleep allows. In fact, this mode of sleeping is the most common, and terrestrial mammals generally do sleep with both hemispheres at the same time.

What is known of USWS
still learning

This phenomenon has been studied by, among others, behavioral neurophysiologists Niels C. Rattenborg, Steven L. Lima, Charles J. Amlaner and other colleagues of the Indiana State University Department of Life Sciences. They have published content in Nature on the subject. USWS is possibly the first animal behavior which uses different regions of the brain to simultaneously control sleep and wakefulness. Studies of USWS have helped to further knowledge of its reasons and mechanisms as well as those of sleep in general. \

When does USWS appear
where in sleep cycle

Mammals
dolphin whale

Birds
song large domestic

Reptiles
lizard

Implications for understanding sleep's mechanisms
this is valuable info