Our Maui whale watches often prompt this question, How do whales sleep and breathe at the same time?
We humans, are involuntary breathers, meaning we breathe without thinking about it and have a “breathing reflex” that kicks into gear when we’re sleeping or are knocked unconscious.
Whale sleep is complex and still being studied. One interesting finding, or lack thereof, is that whales do not appear to have REM sleep that is characteristic of humans. This is the stage in which most of our dreaming occurs.
Where cetaceans sleep differs among species. Some rest on the surface, some are constantly swimming, and some even rest far below the water surface (for example, captive dolphins have been known to rest at the bottom of their pool for a few minutes at a time). Humpbacks have been observed resting on the surface for sometimes half an hour at a time. These whales take slow breaths that are less frequent than a whale that’s active. They are so relatively motionless on the surface that we refer to this behavior as “logging,” because they look like giant logs floating on the water.
If you prefer to go out on a raft book one of our Maui whales watches directly at www.hawaiioceanrafting.com!
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