Interesting facts about sleep from the Sleep Matters Club at Dreams.co.uk:
12% of people dream entirely in black and white. Before color TV, only 15% dreamed in color.
Two-thirds of a cat’s life is spent asleep.
A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, whereas a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day.
Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping.
The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days.
It’s not uncommon for people who were born deaf to use sign language in their sleep.
Dysania is the state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning. (Yes, there’s a name for it!)
Parasomnia is a term that refers to unnatural movements during your sleep. Some people have even committed crimes including sleep driving.
The sensation of falling when half asleep and jerking yourself awake is called “hypnic jerks.”
Up to 15% of the population are sleepwalkers. Btw, it’s a myth that you shouldn’t wake someone who is sleepwalking.
People who were born blind experience dreams involving things such as emotion, sound, and smell, rather than sight.
Within 5 minutes of waking up, 50% of your dreams are forgotten. After an additional 5 minutes, 90% is gone.
Pain tolerance is reduced by sleep deprivation. Scientists are not sure why this is the case.
41% of the population sleeps in a fetal position.
Ideally, falling asleep at night should take you 10-15 minutes.
Humans are the only mammals that willingly delay sleep.
Sleeping on your front can aid digestion.
Fear is said not to be the main emotion in nightmares. Researchers found that it’s most often feelings of sadness, guilt, and confusion.