12 animals that hardly sleep

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 20 February 2021
Update Date: 3 November 2024
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Animals That Rarely Sleep
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Are you curious to know some examples of animals that don't sleep? Or meet those animals that rest for a few hours? First of all, you should know that several factors influence sleep times, but unlike what was believed a few years ago, brain size is not directly associated with animals sleeping more or less. Continue reading PeritoAnimal and discover the 12 animals that barely sleep!

Are there animals that don't sleep?

Before knowing the species that sleep a few hours, it is necessary to answer the question "are there animals that do not sleep?". The answer is: not at first. It was previously believed that the greater need for sleep time was associated with the size of the brain mass. That is, the more developed the brain, the more hours of rest the individual needed. However, there are no concrete studies that prove this belief.


There are several factors that can influence animal sleep, for example:

  • Temperature the ecosystem that the species inhabits;
  • Need stay tuned to predators;
  • Possibility of adopting comfortable sleeping positions.

For the reasons we mentioned earlier, the domestic animals they can allow themselves longer hours of sleep than wild animals. They don't face danger from predators and live in excellent environmental conditions, so the risks of indulging in sleep unconsciousness disappear. Despite this, there are wild animals that sleep a lot, such as the sloth that needs to sleep a lot because of the poor nutrient content of its diet.

It was difficult for the scientific community to talk about the sleep of animals, since from the beginning they tried to compare the sleep patterns of animals with those of human beings. However, nowadays it has been proven that most species sleep or adopt some type of rest, including insects. So is there any animal that never sleeps? The answer is unknown, mainly because there are still species of animals being discovered.


With this explanation, it is possible to say that instead of there being animals that do not sleep, there are some animals that sleep less than others. And of course they sleep in different ways than humans.

And since there are no animals that do not sleep, below we present a list of animals that almost do not sleep, that is, that have less sleep than the others.

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

The giraffe is one of the little sleepers. They only sleep 2 hours a day, but in intervals of just 10 minutes that spread throughout the day. If giraffes slept longer they would become easy prey for predators on the African savannah, such as lions and hyenas. Furthermore, they are animals that tame standing up.

Horse (Equus caballus)

Horses are also animals that tame standing since, in freedom, they can be attacked. They sleep about 3 hours a day. In this position they only reach NREM sleep, that is, they sleep without the rapid eye movement characteristic of mammals being produced.


In safer environments, horses can lie down to sleep and only in this position are they able to reach the REM sleep phase, the one that fixes learning.

House sheep (Ovis aries)

the sheep is a ungulate mammal that since antiquity has been domesticated by humans. It stands out for its gregarious and daytime habits. After all, how do sheep sleep? And for how long?

The sheep sleep only 4 hours a day and wake up very easily, as their sleeping conditions must be optimal. They are nervous animals and are in constant threat of being attacked, so any strange sound puts the sheep on immediate alert.

Donkey (Equus asinus)

The donkey is another animal that sleeps standing up for the same reasons as horses and giraffes. they sleep about 3 hours daily and, like horses, they can lie down to achieve a deeper sleep.

White shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

The case of the white shark and other species of sharks is very curious, they sleep on the move but not because they feel threatened. The shark has brachia and it is through them that they breathe. However, its body does not have operculums, bone structures necessary to protect the brachii. For this reason, they need to be in constant movement to breathe and can't stop to rest. Also, your body does not have a swim bladder, so if it stops it will sink.

The white shark and all shark species are animals that can only sleep on the move. For this, they enter the marine currents and the flow of water transports them without having to make any kind of effort. For more details, check out our article on how fish sleep.

Common dolphin (Delphinus capensis)

The common dolphin and other species of dolphins have similarities with the sleep type of sharks, that is, they are on the list of animals that sleep little. although they sleep in intervals of up to 30 minutes, need to be close to the surface. They are marine animals and are part of the mammal family, so they need breathe out of water to survive.

Dolphins rest, at most, half an hour before coming to the surface to breathe more air. Furthermore, during this rest process half of your brain remains awake with the aim of not exceeding the ideal rest time and, of course, remaining alert to any predators.

Greenland Whale (Balaena mysticetus)

The Greenland Whale and other species in the family Balaenidae they are also marine mammals, that is, they sleep close to the surface to be closer to the air.

Unlike dolphins, the whale hold up to an hour under water, this is the maximum time you dedicate to each sleep time. As with sharks, they need to be in constant motion so they don't sink.

Great frigate (Minor frigate)

The great frigate, also known as the great eagle, is a bird that creates its nests near the ocean shores. Many people consider that they are animals that don't sleep but, in fact, they are animals that sleep with their eyes open.

This bird spends most of its life in the air, flying from one continent to another. It needs to cover large stretches and cannot stop to rest, so it is able to sleep with one part of its brain while the other remains awake. In this way, keeps flying while resting.

Are there other animals that sleep with their eyes open?

As you have seen, the big frigate is one of the animals that sleeps with their eyes open. This behavior is also found in other birds, dolphins and crocodiles. But this is not to say that these animals do not sleep, but that, due to their evolution, they can sleep without closing their eyes.

Now that you know more than one animal that sleeps with its eyes open, let's continue with our list of animals that barely sleep.

Animals that don't sleep at night

Some species prefer to rest during the day and stay awake at night. Darkness is a good time to hunt prey and, on the other hand, it is easier to hide from predators. Some animals that do not sleep at night are:

1. Kitti Pig's Nose Bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai)

It's the kitti's pig-nosed bat and other species of bats stay awake all night long. they are animals sensitive to changes in light, so they prefer night life.

2. Eagle Owl (vulture vulture)

The eagle owl is a nocturnal bird of prey that can be found in Asia, Europe and Africa. Although she can also be seen during the day, she prefers to sleep during light hours and hunt at night.

Thanks to this system, the eagle owl can camouflage itself in trees until it is close to its prey, which it can catch quickly.

3. Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)

The aye-aye is an endemic species to Madagascar. Despite its strange appearance, it is part of the primate family. It stands out for having a wide finger, used to hunt insects, and for its large bright eyes.

4. Owl butterfly (caligo memnon)

The owl butterfly is a species with mostly nocturnal habits. Its wings have a peculiarity, the pattern of spots is similar to an owl's eyes. It is still unclear how other animals interpret this pattern, but this could be a way to ward off potential predators. Also, being a nocturnal butterfly, it reduces the danger level as most birds are resting during these hours.

If you want to read more articles similar to 12 animals that hardly sleep, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.