Researchers Explain Why It's Hard t

Researchers Explain Why It's Hard to Sleep in New Place

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From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
Have you ever had trouble sleeping in a new place?
Lots of people do.
Now researchers from Brown University in Rhode Island think they know the reason.
They found that one-half of the brain remains more awake when people sleep in a new place.
The researchers say the brain is watching for possible danger in a place that is not well known.
Volunteers told researchers they have a hard time sleeping on the first night away from their home.
It is called, “first-night effect.”
The researchers measured brain waves for 35 participants sleeping in a laboratory for two nights.
The two nights were separated by a week.
They found that only during the first night, the left half of the brain was working more than the right half of the brain.
This was during the first deep-sleep period, the researchers say.
The brain behavior is not exclusive to humans.
Ocean mammals and even some birds can have similar difficulties with sleeping.
Yuka Sasaki, one of the report's authors says a lot of questions remain unanswered.
Researchers did not measure brain waves all night long.
So, they don't know if the left half stays alert without rest throughout the night.
They also do not know why the alert half of the brain, at least during the first period of deep sleep, is always on the left side.
Some people may be happy to know their brains are looking for danger as they sleep.
But that extra brain work may prevent a healthy night's rest.
For VOA Learning English, I'm Carolyn Presutti.