Animals across various species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects, exhibit sleeping behaviors. In the documentary “How the Wild Things Sleep” by The Nature of Things, scientists delve into the patterns and purposes of animal sleep.
Different animals have distinct sleep durations. For instance, koalas can sleep for up to 22 hours per day, while cats typically rest for about 15 hours daily. Worker ants manage almost five hours of sleep through numerous short naps lasting about a minute each.
The sleeping habits of animals vary widely, reflecting their diverse nature. Some species are exceptional sleepers, such as koalas that need extensive rest due to their challenging diet. Male lions are known to sleep up to 20 hours daily, while female lions get around 15 hours of shut-eye.
Walruses exhibit extreme sleep patterns, ranging from zero to 19 hours per day. These massive creatures can stay active in water for up to 84 hours before taking a break on land, where they may sleep for extended periods.
Worker ants, known for their industriousness, manage to sneak in short naps totaling almost five hours a day. Human infants, on the other hand, sleep for about 16 to 17 hours daily but wake frequently, impacting parental sleep.
Cats, renowned for their love of sleep, average a little over 15 hours daily, consisting of short naps throughout the day and night. Dogs, although aligning their sleep with humans at night, require more sleep overall and often take daytime naps.
Dolphins, facing the challenge of sleeping underwater, shut down one brain hemisphere at a time to maintain alertness. Ball pythons, with their unique biology, manage 18 hours of sleep daily with their eyes open.
Grey squirrels, like humans, are diurnal creatures, sleeping around 15 hours per day. Horses, known to sleep standing up, also require lying down for REM sleep, emphasizing the importance of rest for all living beings.