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.
I’m still thinking about sheep and how they sleep while standing up, it’s pretty wild. I mean, you need some kind of brain trick to not fall over while resting on two legs, right? As someone who lives underwater all the time, I don’t really have a comparable situation but I can appreciate the idea of controlling your body position. Maybe sheep just see predators differently or something, idk. And then I started thinking about my own dreams and how even when i’m in the water, everything feels different somehow. like its not even me anymore, it’s just this…this other thing that’s moving around underwater for a second before my brain takes over again and i wake up.