All animals need to sleep, from tiny fruit flies to the massive blue whale weighing 180 tons. The question is, do they all sleep in the same way? For instance, the humpback dolphin can sleep while still swimming.
Interestingly, half of the dolphin’s brain can remain awake while it sleeps, allowing it to manage its breathing and keep one eye open to monitor its surroundings!
The white-crowned sparrow can even sleep while migrating seasonally. In contrast, elephants are known for their minimal sleep, averaging only about 4 hours a day. Lions, especially the males, can sleep anywhere and may spend up to 12 hours a day napping.
Overall, in all animal species, sleep primarily serves to replenish the necessary glucose levels for brain activity and detoxify harmful substances, especially free radicals, which are detrimental to their bodies, much like in humans.
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