Colin Snow
Sleep patterns vary greatly across the animal kingdom. While some animals, such as koalas, sleep for 22 hours a day, others, like giraffes, get by with just 30 minutes of deep sleep per day. This article will explore the animals that need the least amount of sleep to function.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Animal that needs the least amount of sleep | Giraffe |
| Amount of sleep needed | 30 minutes of deep sleep per day, or 2 hours of total sleep per day |
| Other animals that sleep very little | Impalas, alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, ants, elephant seals |
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What You'll Learn
Giraffes sleep for two hours or less a day
Giraffes are not the only animals that sleep very little. Other animals that sleep the least include impalas, alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, and ants.
In contrast, carnivorous animals such as big cats rest many more hours than herbivores like giraffes and elephants. Male lions can snooze for nearly 20 hours a day, with females clocking at least 15 hours. Tigers sleep a similar amount of time.
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Impalas almost never sleep
Impalas are not the only animals that sleep very little. Other animals that sleep the least include alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, and ants.
Some animals sleep more for energy conservation, while others sleep more for pure enjoyment. For example, koalas sleep for 22 hours per day, while pocket mice, sloths, brown bats, armadillos, opossums, and lemurs are also among the animals that sleep the most.
The amount of sleep an animal needs can also be influenced by its environment and whether it is in captivity or in the wild. For example, sleep patterns in captivity, such as in zoos, can vary from actual behaviour in the wild, skewing the numbers reported for how much sleep each species needs.
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Elephant seals sleep for one hour a day
While giraffes are known as the mammal that sleeps the least, with some sources claiming they only need 30 minutes of shut-eye per day, a 2021 scientific study found that elephant seals sleep for just one hour a day.
Elephant seals are large, oceangoing seals native to the Northern Pacific and Southern Ocean. They are the largest of the eared seals, with adult males weighing up to 4,000 kg. Elephant seals spend about 80% of their lives in the ocean, diving to depths of 1,500 metres to hunt for food.
Despite their size, elephant seals are incredibly agile in the water, able to twist and turn with ease as they pursue their prey. They are also capable of holding their breath for up to two hours, which is just as well, as they need to dive to great depths to find their favourite meal: squid.
While elephant seals may only need an hour of sleep a day, they do spend a lot of time resting on land. In fact, they spend about 20% of their lives hauled out on beaches or floating in the water. This is partly because they need to rest after long dives, but also because they need to conserve energy for the mating season, when male elephant seals will fast for up to three months as they compete for access to females.
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Male lions sleep for nearly 20 hours a day
While giraffes are known to sleep the least out of all mammals, male lions sleep for nearly 20 hours a day. This is in contrast to other carnivorous animals, such as big cats, which tend to rest more than herbivores. However, male lions sleep significantly more than female lions, who clock at least 15 hours of sleep a day.
Giraffes reportedly only need 30 minutes of deep sleep per day, with their total time spent sleeping being closer to 4.5 hours. They take a series of quick "power naps" several times a day while standing to protect themselves from predators.
Other animals that sleep very little include impalas, alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, and ants.
In contrast, animals that sleep for long periods include koalas, pocket mice, sloths, brown bats, armadillos, opossums, and lemurs.
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Koalas sleep for 22 hours a day
Giraffes are known as the mammal that sleeps the least, with some sources saying they only need 30 minutes of shut-eye per day. However, this only refers to deep sleep, and their total time spent sleeping is closer to 4.5 hours. They take a series of quick 'power naps' several times a day, which they do while standing to protect themselves from predators. Other animals that sleep very little include impalas, alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, and ants.
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Frequently asked questions
Giraffes sleep for around 30 minutes to 2 hours per day. They take a series of quick "power naps while standing to protect themselves from predators.
Impalas, alpine swifts, orca calves, dolphins, horses, deer, elephants, sheep, goats, cows, and ants.
Basic survival likely forced animals to develop unique sleep habits as part of "adaptation". For example, carnivorous animals like big cats rest many more hours than herbivores like giraffes and elephants that spend most of their waking hours grazing for food.
No, sleep patterns in captivity typically vary from actual behaviour in the wild.
