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EXTRA FORTY WINKS
The media attention leading up to our "spring ahead" time change this past weekend would have you believe it will take days to readjust our internal clock. No doubt, getting our day started in what now seems like the middle of the night will have us feeling groggy for a few days until we get used to the new light patterns.
I was surprised to learn Daylight Saving Time (DST) has been around for such a long time, and has always had its share of controversy. My long-gone grandparents would be horrified that we now live most of the year under artificially induced time. As farmers, they never cottoned to the idea of changing the clocks anyway; they always insisted that "sun" time or "slow" time was the real time. Even now, certain parts of Arizona and Hawaii don't acknowledge DST either.
Manipulating time was a novel idea attributed to Benjamin Franklin in 1784 to give farmers more daylight for the harvest. The Standard Time Act, establishing that extra hour of sunlight, became law in 1918. Almost a century later, in 2005, the Department of Energy's Energy Policy Act designated March and November as the changeover months to begin in 2007. This gives us almost 8 months of extended daylight hours, saving valuable energy while providing extra time for recreational pursuits.
If the changing time makes you feel sleep deprived, one way to counteract that is to take a nap. You might have missed celebrating National Napping Day, established in 1999 to promote the healthy and productive benefits from a quick snooze after lunch, which was this past Monday. Falling on the heels of our switch to DST, the proponents of napping were well positioned to make their point that catching a few extra zzz's can boost your energy.
Our pets, of course, don't tell time by the clock either, relying instead on natural light and our household rhythms for clues. But we can certainly take a life lesson from their ability to take advantage of some down time by catching a few quick winks.
Although the time spent napping can vary, depending on the animal's age and personality, most dogs will sleep at least 12 hours a day and cats average between 13-16 hours a day. The amount of sleep an animal needs also depends on its species. Large animals, such as horses and cows, can get by with only 3-4 hours a day, because so much of their time is spent grazing for food. Larger dogs need more sleep, around 16-18 hours a day, but very active, working dogs seem to sleep less than normal. Bats and opossums top out at 20 hours a day.
Dogs and cats sleep more than we do, but they also wake up more frequently. Typically, if there is something to do, they are ready on the spot. Cats, as hunters and predators, are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk, when their natural prey is most active. Newborn kittens sleep most of the time, a natural safety mechanism which keeps them close and quiet so they don't attract predators. Even though a cat is sleeping, its finely tuned senses are still active, staying in touch with the environment, ready to spring into action if needed.
Dogs have the same sleep patterns as humans, although our sleep cycles tend to be longer. First is the slow wave (SWS) or quiet sleep, where breathing is slowed, blood pressure and body temperature drop, heart rate decreases, and you are oblivious to your surroundings. During the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or active phase, we have the most brain activity and we dream. Cats sleep is about 60% REM sleep, more than three times more than humans experience, and dogs spend about 10-12 percent in REM sleep.
During REM sleep, the brain processes information learned during the day. In this sleep cycle, your dog and cat will twitch or become vocal. When humans are awakened during REM sleep, we report having dreams, so we assume that other mammals are dreaming as well, since they show the same brain activity during REM sleep as we do. With the exception of that already mixed up mammal, the Duck Billed Platypus. The Platypus experiences more REM sleep than any other mammal, but its brain activity is completely different, which might help explain why they lay eggs.
For a great catnap, your cat will look for a place that feels comfortable, is safe and the right temperature. A dog curled into a tight ball might look like he's fast asleep, but he can't be completely relaxed in this position. Rather, a stretched out dog is at peace, feels safe and relaxed. Dogs sleeping on their backs are cooling off, because there is less fur on their tummies. And dogs who lie back to back, or who lie with their back next to you are showing their desire to bond.
Now if you'll excuse me, I really do need to take a nap.
Jan Jaeger is owner of Geronimo's, Ltd., Nantucket's pet supply and gift shop and is a member of Dog and Cat Writer's Associations of America (DWAA and CWA).. Her pets at home are Junior, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and two cats. At the shop are the cats, Messrs. Fish and Chips, Flower Bunny, Millie guinea pig and two budgies. Send e-mail to
jan@geronimos.com. I
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