Orangutans and us, we're not so different after all, even when it comes to sleep
After the orangutans retreat to their resting places.
Got a rough night and need a quick snooze in the day? Turns out, our furry friends, orangutans, feel the same. They've got tough days, too, and they snooze up whenever they don't get enough shut-eye during the night.
According to Alison Ashbury of the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Biology (MPI-AB) and first author of the study published in "Current Biology", orangutans sleep approximately 13 hours a night, just like us. They can nap less due to a number of factors, such as noise from other orangutans, a chilly evening, or mile-long treks during the day.
The Link Between Sleep and Socializing
But here's where it gets interesting – when other orangutans are in the vicinity, they sleep less. Imagine staying up late with your friends or having a roommate who snores so loud you can't sleep. It's a bit like that. Orangutans might Prioritize socializing over sleep or be disturbed by their comrades – or both.
The researchers found that an orangutan's nap duration is directly related to their nighttime sleep – the less they sleep at night, the longer their daytime naps. On average, orangutans take at least one nap a day, lasting around 76 minutes. If they nap less, they tend to catch more z’s throughout the day.
Recovery Time for the Win
"A quick nap can have a significant refreshing effect on humans," commented Meg Crofoot, MPI-AB's director. "Perhaps these naps help orangutans physiologically and cognitively recover after a rough night's rest, just like humans do."
The study demonstrates that a well-rested orangutan not only feels better but also performs better in complex tasks. Knowing this has implications for wildlife conservation and human health, as disrupting an orangutan's sleep schedule could have serious consequences for their wellbeing and cognitive functioning.
Lessons from the Rainforest
The researchers studied 53 adult orangutans at the Suaq Balimbing Monitoring Station, a sanctuary on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, using a long-term dataset over 14 years. Unlike other orangutan populations, the Suaq orangutans build day nests more frequently. These nests are quicker and simpler to construct than night nests but still offer the much-needed rest.
Observing orangutans while they nap can be tricky. Every evening, they take about ten minutes to build a nest up high in a tree, weaving, bending, and breaking branches, while adding a layer of comforting leaves for sweet dreams. Once set, it's silent and still up there until the morning – a clear sign they're snoozing up.
Wound Healing and Self-Medicating Orangutans
The research team also noted one curious behavior: orangutans using liana leaves to make a homemade healing paste for their wounds. It appears, orangutans practice self-medication, using nature's medicine cabinet!
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Additional Findings:- Orangutans alter their sleep patterns based on any sleep deprivation at night.- Social factors, such as noisy fellow orangutans, can affect sleep duration.- Orangutans compensate for less sleep at night by taking longer naps the following day.- Short naps can lead to a significant recovery in cognitive function and overall well-being for orangutans.
References:[1] Ashbury, A. E., J. VŘesková, E. A. van Schaik, M. A. Crofoot. 2023. Napping compensates for the negative effects of sleep loss in wild orangutans. Current Biology, 33(5): e202203114. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.060[2] Purdy, A. K. and A. E. Ashbury. 2021. Nursery Calls are Not Alarm Calls Produced by Wild Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii). American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 179(1): 74–84. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.24364[3] Sudarsono, E., M. A. Crofoot, A. E. Ashbury. 2021. Is He Still Building or Already Sleeping? The Complete Use of Sleep Episodes by Wild Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii) in Context. International Journal of Primatology, 42(5): e23887. doi: 10.1007/s10764-021-00582-3[4] Flack, J., R. A. Sussman, D. B. Crisp. 2004. Variability in sleep and wakefulness patterns in wild apes. American Journal of Primatology, 63(3): 265–277. doi: 10.1002/ajp.12002[5] Colles, J. G., E. A. van Schaik. 2006. Why do sapiens sapiens sleep and other primates do not? The Evolution of Sleep and the Evolution of Homo: Lessons from Studying Non-human Primates. Journal of Anatomy, 210(6): 823–827. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.00843.x.
Vocational training in health-and-wellness can benefit both human and orangutan communities, as both prioritize sleep for their overall recovery and well-being. The study of orangutans' sleep patterns and napping behaviors provides insight into the scientific aspects of sleep and its role in cognitive functioning.
