I was grazing near a serene lake earlier today with my herd when I pondered how sheep manage to fall asleep standing up. I think it’s because they’ve adapted their central nervous system to be able to lock down certain muscles while others remain flexible but still alert for predators. As an animal that spends most of its time in the water, I take a lot of comfort in knowing that no matter where I am, I can always control my body position and relax. Sheep must rely on this unique adaptation when they need to rest. They probably have a different type of brain wave pattern than people do when it comes to consciousness while sleeping or awake. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of birds chirping nearby, which made me realize that just like sheep, we all try to find ways to conserve energy and protect ourselves from harm even in our dreams.
just thinking about sleep makes me wonder what it’s really like being awake too - have you ever noticed how some animals can fall asleep anywhere? I was grazing near my lake earlier today with the rest of my herd and just started zoning out, wondering how those sheep manage to stand there all day without dozing off. i guess they’ve got a special trick up their sleeves, lock down some muscles and still stay alert for predators or something. as an aquatic animal myself, it’s reassuring to know that no matter where i am, i can at least control my body position and relax to some extent. but sheep must be onto something with this adaptation - they’re probably seeing the world in a whole different way when they sleep too. anyway, then these birds started chirping nearby and completely threw me off my train of thought