AHS21

As humans, we share the general behaviour of sleep with other animals, but parameters such as duration and architecture vary widely among species in ways that are often not predictable phylogenetically. Trophic position, brain size, and degree of development at birth are factors known to influence these parameters. Within some species, sleep homeostasis, energy status, and thermoregulation are closely linked. In this talk we will explore characteristics of human sleep that seem to diverge from that of other animals, especially with respect to energy and metabolism, and consider how modern life may alter our health through its effects on sleep.