Sleepy Creatures
Sleep is an altered state of the nervous system, a state without consciousness. All animals with a nervous system seem to need sleep in order to rest and recover. It is a dynamic process that seems to be crucial for an organism's well-being.
Unlike hibernation, coma, or inebriation, sleep is a unique state with its own distinct characteristics. The criteria for identifying sleep involve observable changes in behavior and physiological patterns. These criteria often include a reduction in physical activity, altered responsiveness to stimuli, and characteristic changes in brain wave activity, such as the transition between REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM sleep stages.
The mystery of sleep revolves around three primary theories. The first suggests that sleep allows restoration and detoxification in the body. The second proposes that it enhances cognitive performance by reinforcing or pruning synaptic connections. The third theory focuses on energy conservation, with animals adapting sleep duration based on their ecological niche and foraging needs. Obviously, these theories are not mutually exclusive.
Sleep durations vary widely among species. For example, the little brown bat may snooze for 20 hours a day, the African bush elephant typically sleeps just two hours, the giraffe averages around 1.9 hours, and humans generally require 7-9 hours of sleep.
The Behaviors of Sleep
Sleep in the animal kingdom is marked by a variety of behaviors. Snoring is a common occurrence, particularly in breeds with unique facial features. Animals may exhibit dream-like states with limb twitches during REM sleep. Vocalizations can sometimes accompany these dream states, particularly in social species. Repositioning is a common behavior as animals adjust their sleeping positions for comfort or in response to environmental changes. Muscle relaxation is evident during sleep, leading to a state of rest in the animal's body. Resting positions vary widely, from lying down in mammals to perching or roosting in birds. The spectrum of sleep-related behaviors reflects the diverse ways in which animals experience rest and relaxation across different species.
Do Machines Sleep?
Robots, being artificial creations, do not experience sleep in the same way living organisms do. Rather the opposite, artificial machines are often recognized for being never sleeping but instead always working and therefore being more efficient than human workers.
However, some robots or artificial intelligence systems may undergo periods of inactivity or low-power states that could be analogous to sleep. This may occur for maintenance purposes, energy conservation, or to optimize performance. In these instances, it is more about the system entering a standby or rest mode rather than experiencing sleep as a biological necessity.
Precisely because sleeping animals arouse so much empathy in us, I think that the characteristics of sleep, such as loud breathing, snoring or repositioning, are well suited for us to interpret life into artificial creatures when we discover these in them. Can we perhaps best detect consciousness in the relatable state of unconsciousness?
I imagine the sleepy creature to snore or vocalize its breath and when it detects people around, it starts to babble a bit in its sleep and turns around, and continues sleeping. Except, when the sound around doesn't get softer, then the sleepy creature babbles a bit louder and turns around a bit more hectic.
