比动物睡眠少而质量更高是人类进化结果

AS IT IS 2015-12-16 Study: Humans Sleep Less, Better Than Other Animals 比动物睡眠少而质量更高是人类进化结果

Humans need less sleep than other mammals, yet their slumber¹ is more efficient, said researchers at Duke University in North Carolina.

In their study, the scientists researched sleep patterns of hundreds of animals. They discovered humans sleep for shorter periods of time compared to other animals.

The study also concluded that a human’s sleep is higher quality. A deeper stage of sleep, called rapid eye movement sleep, or REM, makes up 25 percent of a human’s sleep. In primates² like lemurs or monkeys, REM sleep does not reach the five percent mark.

“Humans are unique in having shorter, higher quality sleep,” said David Samson, a study co-author.

Samson’s research team found that humans can prosper³ with an average of seven hours of sleep a day. Other primates need as many as 14 to 17 hours of sleep.

Samson said human sleep habits evolved during prehistoric⁴ times. Human ancestors moved from sleeping in trees to sleeping on the ground. Better sleeping habits resulted in better sleep in a shorter amount of time.

Words in This Story

slumber – v. sleep

primate– n. any member of the group of animals that includes human beings, apes and monkeys

lemur– n. an animal that is related to monkeys and that lives in trees mostly in Madagascar

prehistoric– adj. of, relating to, or existing in the time before people could write

1 slumber   

n.睡眠，沉睡状态

参考例句：

• All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
• Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

2 primates   

primate的复数

参考例句：

• Primates are alert, inquisitive animals. 灵长目动物是机灵、好奇的动物。
• Consciousness or cerebration has been said to have emerged in the evolution of higher primates. 据说意识或思考在较高级灵长类的进化中已出现。

3 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

4 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。