Jellyfish and sea anemones might not have brains, but they do sleep—just like we do. A recent study published in Nature Communications sheds light on this unexpected behavior. Researchers found that both these creatures enter sleep-like states, which helps protect their nerve cells from damage that occurs while they’re awake.
Lior Appelbaum, a molecular neuroscientist from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, explains, “Neurons are precious. They don’t divide, so we need to keep them intact.” This underscores the importance of rest even in simple organisms.
While it’s known that jellyfish can sleep, this study is the first to provide a thorough portrayal of sleep in sea anemones. Chiara Cirelli, a sleep researcher at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, notes that adding new species to our understanding of sleep is crucial for the field.
Why Sleep Matters
Sleep may seem risky for animals. It leaves them open to predators and cuts into time they could use to find food or care for young. Yet, sleep is preserved across all studied animals with nervous systems, implying it serves a vital function.
Some scientists believe sleep might have appeared even before centralized nervous systems evolved. A landmark study in 2017 by Ravi Nath and colleagues showed that jellyfish display sleep-like behavior, suggesting sleep emerged alongside neurons. “There is a core function of sleep that each species has adapted to fit its own needs,” he argues.
The latest study builds on this by examining sleep’s effects on cells in animals lacking a brain. Appelbaum and his team discovered that the upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea andromeda, sleeps for about eight hours, mostly at night, with a quick nap during the day. Similarly, the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, sleeps for about one-third of its day, mostly around dawn.
Expanding Our Understanding
These discoveries add depth to our knowledge of rest in simple organisms. An interesting statistic is that 80% of animals exhibit some form of sleep. This suggests that the need for sleep is deeply rooted in the evolutionary history of living beings.
User reactions on social media have shown curiosity about how such simple creatures could have sleep patterns similar to humans. People resonate with this idea, blurring the lines between simple marine life and advanced beings like us.
Understanding sleep’s role across different species could have implications beyond biology. It may reveal insights into human health and well-being. As scientists continue to explore these mysteries, we might uncover even more connections between sleep and survival across the animal kingdom.
For further reading on the science of sleep, check out this article on sleep studies.
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Evolution,Neuroscience,Zoology,Science,Humanities and Social Sciences,multidisciplinary
