Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Rick Tetrault on 23/08/2008 15:53:44
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Rick Tetrault asked the Naked Scientists:
Greetings unto The Naked Scientists,
I've been listening to your podcasts (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/) since January, and I love them, and I hope you all can answer my question.
This morning my wife woke me early to move my car so she could go to work. As I groggily staggered out of the bedroom, the cat who had been just as asleep next to me leapt up and trotted out, fully alert.
Why do we humans need a few minutes to become fully awake, while animals seem to go instantly from sleep to wakefulness?
Thanks so much for your wonderful show.
Sincerely,
Rick Tetrault
Riverview, Florida, USA
What do you think?
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I have noticed that cats as well as dogs depending on the individual animal need time to wake also.. My dog Rocky for example needs to wake up Like people.. he can be woken suddenly if startled, but for the most part he is as sleepy when he wakes ... he has to open his eyes, snores a bit more, then opens his eyes again, Yawns.. stretches, and lays for a bit more, then soon his head is up but he is in slow mode... and looks very tired with bags and wrinkles ...a real morning face! He will very easily fall back to sleep if allowed to.. on the other hand if you offer to take him out he will begrudgingly like you with your wife.. get up stretch stagger up the hall and go out the door where he usually yawns stretches and slowly goes to his favorite spots for morning relief.. If its rainy he is very reluctant to step out there,, LOL He would rather go back to bed and snuggle in! LOL...
My old Cat Chaser was the same she did lots of stretching and and grooming before she was ready to get going...Probably because she spent most nights playing the piano... which she loved.... LOL.. She would spend a couple hours every night walking up and down the keys of the piano.. she would go back and forth a couple keys or full length repeatedly during the night.. she loved the sounds it made!LOL.. When she crashed out though she slept pretty sound.. and was a slow riser..
My old Boston Terrier "Rooster" was a quick riser and a light sleeper.. he never looked tired until the last year of his life.. and he had cancer..He was spy and quick and a ball of energy most all the time! I moss him..He was definitely a morning personality!
I really think it depends on the animal.. although I am no expert but have owned many many animals of many species and find this true of many!
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Hi Rick, ever considered that your flat bed might be affecting your balance in the morning and that tilting the bed slightly to a five degree head up position by raising the head end of the bed on blocks will remove the groggy feeling you get in the morning?
This is called Inclined Bed Therapy or IBT for short. Google it and see for yourself.
Andrew