Saturday, June 9, 2007

Zzzzzzzz.....

Weird facts about sleep. Cows sleep with their eyes open. Giraffes sleep for 1.9 hours every day while bats sleep for 19.9 hours.

Migratory birds sleep while flying across the ocean. Dolphins sleep with 1/2 their brain at a time so they can keep on swimming and breathing. Rhinos (who figure heavily (pun!) in mystery #1, I So Don't Do Mysteries) lie down for a deep sleep and curl their feet up to one side. Dorothy the dog sleeps 10-12 hours daily.

Humans need about 8 hours of sleep. We use this time for activities like restoring energy supplies, repairing muscle, secreting growth hormone. If we don't get enough sleep, we lose our sense of humour, are cranky, less coordinated, less creative, and look older. Worst case scenario: total sleep deprivation for too long will kill you.

Do you get enough sleep? Do your characters?

10 comments:

  1. Cats need at least 16 hours a day.

    My cat, Lion, sleeps even more than that. I'd bet it's around 22 hours a day. He's almost *never* awake. But then again, he's getting to be an old, old kitty.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never sleep more than about 5-6 hours and even then I always wake up during the night.

    It used to bother me, but I'm used to it now - even as a teenager I'd get up early!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The dog is keeping you up isn't he? I like a nice solid 8 hours- I may be part cat.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm in bed at least hours a night, but I don't get nearly enough sleep. Oh, that sounded like my sex life is way better than it is. LOL.

    I tend to go to be VERY late, and as a consequence, I oftenstay in bed through a good chunk of the morning... so the last few hours are always disturbed by light and sounds and sometimes my clock radio if I felt overly ambitious about my rising time the night before.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gina, I know real lions need loads of sleep too. Something crazy like 21 or 22 hours!
    ~Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sara, I'm like you. I don't sleep much. I don't need tons. Plus I have insomnia from time to time. Although i think I'd look better if I slept more. :)
    ~Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Eileen, I cannot answer your question. I refuse to blog anything negative about Dorothy who doesn't know how to type and, therefore, can't defend herself. However...if she poops in my bedroom again, all bets are off!
    ~Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  8. Maureen: so, given the time difference between your place and mine, I'm better off (prank) calling you early in the mornng rather than late at night? :)
    ~Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Barrie, I ran into your blog thanks to your agent who raves about you!

    I have teenagers,too. Congrats on the graduate!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lin: Thanks for popping over. Rachel is a great agent. Hope life is going smoothly with your teens. I have 2.:)
    ~Barrie

    ReplyDelete

Comments are always welcome!