Do Animals Dream?
REM stands for “Rapid Eye Movement” and refers to the period during which the muscles are barely active, but the eyes move rapidly back and forth beneath the eyelids. This phase contrasts with deep sleep, in which our brain activity is measurably lower.
Animals dream during the REM phase
It is fascinating to consider that animals can also dream. Studies have shown that animals display brain activity during sleep similar to our own. Dogs frequently have nightmares, while cats tend to dream of playful scenes.
Cats run in their sleep
Sleep researcher Michel Jouvet conducted a famous experiment: cats in which muscular paralysis during REM sleep was prevented literally walked around in their sleep, hissed, and arched their backs. During sleep, they re-enacted what had happened to them during the day.
Much evidence suggests that at least mammals process their daytime experiences during sleep. REM sleep phases have also been observed in various bird species. More on the topic of Wildlife and Studies.
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