You Think You Know What Sleep Is? These 10 Facts Prove You Wrong

Sleep is one of the most fascinating yet underrated things we do every day. We spend about a third of our lives doing it, and yet many of us know surprisingly little about it. Here are ten interesting facts about sleep that might just change the way you think about your nightly rest.

1. Some People Dream in Black and White

Around twelve percent of people experience their dreams without color. Before the introduction of color television, that number was as high as seventy-five percent. Apparently, TV didn’t just color our screens, it colored our dreams too.

2. Humans Are the Only Mammals Who Delay Sleep

All other mammals sleep when their bodies tell them to. Only humans manage to stay awake on purpose usually for “just one more episode” or “one last email.” Evolutionarily impressive, perhaps, but not exactly healthy.

3. Eleven Days Without Sleep – A Dubious World Record

Briton Tony Wright stayed awake for 266 hours, setting the record for the longest time without sleep. The previous record, 264 hours, was held by a student from California. It goes without saying that this is not something to try at home, severe sleep deprivation can be dangerous.

4. No One Sleeps Through the Night

Even those who claim to “sleep like a rock” wake up briefly several times during the night. Most of the time, we don’t even notice it. Whether it’s due to temperature, noise, or a partner’s movement, these tiny interruptions are a normal part of our sleep cycle.

5. Our Sense of Smell Switches Off While We Sleep

Noise can wake us up, but our sense of smell becomes much less active during sleep. That’s one reason smoke alarms were invented, a small innovation with a huge impact on safety.

6. Fish Sleep Too

Fish don’t have eyelids, so they doze with their eyes open. Some drift slowly through the water while others hide to avoid predators. Even underwater, sleep is essential for survival.

7. Koalas Are the True Sleep Experts

Koalas sleep up to twenty-two hours a day. That makes them the undisputed champions of napping in the animal kingdom. Their secret? Conserving energy is their way of life.

8. Sleep Deprivation Acts Like Alcohol

After seventeen hours without sleep, your reaction time is similar to having a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent. After twenty-four hours, it’s closer to 0.10 percent. In other words, if you’re tired, it’s safer to put down the car keys and pick up a pillow.

9. Sleep Helps You Learn

A study showed that well-rested people perform significantly better on memory tests than those who stayed up all night. The brain consolidates information during sleep, yet another reason to turn off the lights before an exam or important meeting.

10. Snoring Can Be Loud — Very Loud

The world record for snoring reaches an incredible ninety-three decibels, about as loud as a passing truck. So if it sometimes feels like you’re sleeping on a construction site, you might not be imagining it.