Sleep in mammals: ecological and constitutional correlates.
The interrelationships between sleep, ecological, and constitutional variables were assessed statistically for 39 mammalian species. Slow-wave sleep is negatively associated with a factor related to body size, which suggests that large amounts of this sleep phase are disadvantageous in large species. Paradoxical sleep is associated with a factor related to predatory danger, which suggests that large amounts of this sleep phase are disadvantageous in prey species.
D000818:Animals; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004032:Diet; D004463:Ecology; D005865:Gestational Age; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity