Sleep is an inherently risky behavioral state, defined by decreased sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Sleeping together with other individuals offers a variety of advantages, including protection from predators and buffering against cold nighttime temperatures. However, group members also compete with each other over access to the safest, warmest, most comfortable sleeping spots, or the chance to sleep next to their preferred co-sleeping partners. Decisions about where to sleep are important, but assessing the options is complicated: the availability and quality of each position within the sleep site depends on the choices made by other group members.
more
