Fact 15: Unihemispheric Slow-Wave Sleep (USWS) lets birds nap while flying

Unihemispheric slow-wave sleep is a fancy way of describing the kind of sleep where one half of the brain rests while the other half remains alert. Birds are able take advantage of this during long migratory flights. You know… to get some shuteye while they fly.

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Further Reading

• Evidence that birds sleep in mid-flight

• These birds nap while they fly – and other suprising ways that animals sleep