this isn't the last thing I learned but it's something new that upturned a misconception I had tbh. I used to think hibernators didn't sleep during hibernation because all publications in this topic I've seen show very low EEG waves across the torpor period. but it looks like what may actually be happening is that they're undergoing one sleep cycle that is so elongated that it's hard to capture in the EEG signal. so they are sleeping, but all the various proteins regulating the circadian rhythms are being made and doing their jobs at a much slower rate, which makes sense. most hibernators have a body temp that's near freezing during torpor and low body temp means ur molecules can't move that fast