Top 30 Animals That Sleep the Most
Discover the top 30 animals that sleep the longest!
There are animals that sleep up to 22 hours a day and are only awake for 2 hours a day. For many people this sounds heavenly. Who wouldn't love to sleep for so long?
We have put together the top 30 animals that sleep the most for you! We also reveal funny sleeping habits from the animal kingdom. Did you know there are animals that take naps underwater or switch off one side of their brain to do so? But let's start with the most important thing: the table with the records!
Animals That Sleep the Most (by Animal Order)
First, we have a list sorted by animal order (mammal, reptile, bird and so on). It is still uncertain if amphibians sleep like mammals or humans, despite having periods of rest.
| Animal Order | Species | Sleep per day |
|---|---|---|
| Mammal | Koala | 18-22 hours |
| Reptile | Python | 18-20 hours |
| Bird | Magnificent frigatebird | 12 hours |
| Insect | Fire ant | 9 hours |
| Fish | Guppy | 7 hours |
| Invertebrate | Octopus | 2 hours |
| Amphibian | ? | ? |
Top 30 Animals That Sleep the Most (Per Day)
Officially, the koala is the animal that sleeps the longest. It sleeps 22 hours and is only awake 2-4 hours a day - mainly to eat eucalyptus leaves. They contain little energy and are difficult to digest. That's why the koala tries to "save" as much energy as possible by sleeping.
| Animal | Sleep per day |
|---|---|
| Koala | 18-22 hours * |
| Pocket mouse | 20 hours |
| Big Brown Bat | 20 hours |
| Tiger | 18-20 hours |
| Python | 18-20 hours |
| Walrus | 19 hours * |
| Lion | 18-20 hours |
| Hedgehog | 18-20 hours |
| Opossum | 18 hours |
| Armadillo | 18 hours |
| Night monkey | 17 hours |
| Crocodile | 17 hours |
| Cat | 12-16 hours |
| Squirrel | 15 hours |
| Dog | 12-14 hours |
| Platypus | 14 hours |
| Elephant seal | 14 hours |
| Cheetah | 12 hours |
| Magnificent frigatebird | 12 hours |
| Chimpanzee | 8-12 hours |
| Gorilla | 12 hours |
| Mouse | 12 hours |
| Owl | 10-12 hours |
| Chinstrap penguin | 11 hours |
| Sloth | 8-10 hours *** |
| Hummingbird | 8-10 hours |
| Fire ant | 9 hours |
| Baboon | 9 hours |
| Dolphin | 8 hours |
* Source: Australian Koala Foundation
** But can stay awake for 84 hours at a time
*** Source: The Sloth Conservation Foundation
Sloths (Don't) Sleep 15-20 hours
It has long been said that sloths sleep 15-20 hours a day. However, The Sloth Conservation Foundation has found that only captive sloths have been observed so far. Their behavior is completely differently because they don't have to fear enemies and food is always available. In addition, rest and sleep phases are difficult to distinguish through observation alone. More precise measurements with EEG (electroencephalography; measurement of brain activity) and EMG (electromyography; measurement of muscle activity) have shown different numbers. The sloth actually doesn't sleep more than 8-10 hours.
How Long Do People Sleep?
| Sleep per Day | |
|---|---|
| Baby | 16 hours |
| Adult human | 8 hours |
| Old person | 5-6 hours |
- Table of Contents:
- 1. Sleep Records from the Animal Kingdom
- 2. Funny Sleeping Habits from the Animal Kingdom
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