The brain remains alert to sleep in a new place – Vanguardia Liberal

The fact “sleep with one eye open” the first night spent in a new place has a scientific explanation: one of the two brain hemispheres remains more awake than the other during the phase of deep sleep, possibly to be prepared in case of danger.

poor sleep is a new place is known as “the effect of the first night” and a group of scientists US Brown University has studied the possible causes to reach a conclusion they did not expect, according to the journal Current Biology.

the researchers used an advanced technique of neuro imaging to analyze the brain during part of . sleep in a group of 35 volunteers who agreed to sleep two nights in the laboratory, with a week break between the two

the images revealed something that experts did not expect to see: During the first night’s dream a of the left cerebral hemisphere he showed different patterns of activity that right, ie, maintained a lighter sleep and also had a greater response to sounds.

However, during the second night of sleep in the laboratory no significant activity differences were noted between the two hemispheres, said Yuka Sasaki, one of the authors of the study.

This increased activity in the left hemisphere occurred during the deep phase of sleep, known as ” slow waves “which is in the study, so it is unknown if the left hemisphere remains vigilant all night or go on such work to the right, a possibility that Sasaki does not rule focused.

it is known that some birds and marine mammals sleep with one of the awake brain hemispheres, but it was not known that people could do something similar.

Although the human brain does not have the same degree of asymmetry than the marine animals, the new findings suggest that “our brain can have a system in miniature” similar to dolphins or whales, said Sakaki.

Sasaki said it may be possible that people who have to sleep with frequencies in new places they are able to “disconnect” that kind of night watchman. and he noted that it would be possible to reduce that “first night effect” bringing your own pillow or choosing hotels with similar rooms.