Could we learn to sleep like this?

Our problem is not being able to sleep and breathe at the same time. Maybe we could learn a new technique?

How do dolphins sleep?
Dolphins have to be conscious to breath. This means that they cannot go into a full deep sleep, because then they would suffocate. Dolphins have "solved" that by letting one half of their brain sleep at a time. This has been determined by doing EEG studies on dolphins. Dolphins sleep about 8 hours day in this fashion.

http://www.dolphinear.com/data/dolphins.htm

Christine L wrote:Our problem is not being able to sleep and breathe at the same time. Maybe we could learn a new technique?

How do dolphins sleep?
Dolphins have to be conscious to breath. This means that they cannot go into a full deep sleep, because then they would suffocate. Dolphins have "solved" that by letting one half of their brain sleep at a time. This has been determined by doing EEG studies on dolphins. Dolphins sleep about 8 hours day in this fashion.

http://www.dolphinear.com/data/dolphins.htm

I'm thinking that would have to apply to whales as well.


Den

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Here is a more thorough article my husband found. http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... d-dolphin/

Christine L wrote:Here is a more thorough article my husband found. http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... d-dolphin/

Thanks.
Those were interesting.


Den

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Interesting stuff. I read somewhere in a sleep related article that we are the only mammals that have sleep apnea (tho snoring is not uncommon in the animal world). The speculation is that when we evolved to stand upright we made a few concessions. Our larynx moved down over time and narrowed to accommodate our relatively thin vertical necks (less weight to support at the highest leverage point). The narrowing of the larynx allowed us to have a superb vocal range to facilitate speech but also opened the door to various breathing problems - sleep apnea being one of the big ones. The narrowing of the throat and head also created mouth structure compromises... but that's another story! I wish I'd bookmarked that article better, however I just can't find it at this time.

I understand that some dogs can have apnea--like pugs.

chunkyfrog wrote:I understand that some dogs can have apnea--like pugs.

Don't go there... she's gonna whup-up on ya'

Sheriff

I don't think fish ever sleep either, how could they?

I understand humans are the only species that food and air share the same passageway. For those who remember theowlbox and watching how even the babies can swallow their food whole.

Guest wrote:I don't think fish ever sleep either, how could they?

I understand humans are the only species that food and air share the same passageway. For those who remember theowlbox and watching how even the babies can swallow their food whole.

I am no expert in this area, but is seems to me that many mammals share this trait. Like horses, dogs and cats to name a few.
Also technically food and air do not share the same passageway. Food uses the esophagus and air the trachea. We have a mechanism in the throat that opens and closes to direct the traffic. I need to get more familiar with this as my traffic cop is getting lazy in its old age. I may need to hire a new younger version. What I found strange when I had my swallow test, when I asked if the swallow/chocking issues I have been experiencing could be in any way related to my sleep apnea, I was told absolutely not.
How cold that small mal functioning area that controls swallowing and breathing while awake, not be involved in my apnea?

bwexler wrote:Also technically food and air do not share the same passageway.

If that is true why do people choke to death when food gets caught in their throat? Couldn't they just breath thru their nose? How could the Heimlich maneuver work if that were true?

I can't remember the proper term but there is a flap that is supposed to control weather wood enters the esophagus or air enters the trachea. If that flap doesn't do its job food can enter the trachea. The Heimlich maneuver can dislodge the food weather it happens to be in the trachea or just stuck in the esophagus.
I did get to watch a video fluoroscopy of me having difficulty swallowing. There are clearly two separate passages leaving the throat. The nasal and oral passages join before the flap.

Guest wrote:

bwexler wrote:Also technically food and air do not share the same passageway.

If that is true why do people choke to death when food gets caught in their throat? Couldn't they just breath thru their nose? How could the Heimlich maneuver work if that were true?

basic anatomy, bwexler is right.

you have a nose, for air, and a mouth for food, the nasal passage is behind the oral passages at that point, then they cross in your throat, and your trachea is in front (voice box, anyone) and your esophagus is behind, which is why you can suffocate someone by mashing on the front of their throat, where their 'windpipe' is.



all in all (choking and such) it's a poor design.

Thank you PR for helping me make my point.

bwexler wrote:Thank you PR for helping me make my point.

prs diagram shows the single point of failure is the Laryngopharynx.

bwexler wrote:I can't remember the proper term but there is a flap that is supposed to control weather wood enters the esophagus or air enters the trachea. If that flap doesn't do its job food can enter the trachea. The Heimlich maneuver can dislodge the food weather it happens to be in the trachea or just stuck in the esophagus.
I did get to watch a video fluoroscopy of me having difficulty swallowing. There are clearly two separate passages leaving the throat. The nasal and oral passages join before the flap.

The flap is the epiglottis.