Question: how often do you study mice's sleeping patterns?

Mike Ambler answered on 8 Nov 2018:

Hi, thanks fro your question..

I actually personally study mice going in and out of short hibernation periods (called torpor), so I don’t directly study their sleep. However, When I am studying them I record their body temperature using a thermal imaging camera, and I also monitor how much they are moving around, and so I can tell when they are asleep because they cool down a bit and stop moving. Mice tend to sleep when the lights are on and are more active during the night. I think this is because in the wild their are more predators around during the day and the mice are trying to avoid being eaten.