How much do animals sleep?
We may be different sizes, shapes and species — but one thing unites mammals, birds and reptiles: we all need sleep.
But how much do animals sleep? The amount of downtime they each need varies, from hardly resting at all to snoozing most of the day away.
So from bats to giraffes, here are the typical sleep needs for more than 30 different animals — including humans.
How much do animals sleep? Average sleep needs
Check out the table below listing 30+ different types of creatures, along with how much sleep each needs.
The number shown is of the average total sleep time in hours per day, based on data provided by the Office of Science Education Home, National Institutes of Health.
| Animal/species | Hours |
|---|---|
| brown bat | 19.9 |
| python | 18.0 |
| owl monkey | 17.0 |
| human infant | 16.0 |
| tiger | 15.8 |
| squirrel | 14.9 |
| golden hamster | 14.3 |
| lion | 13.5 |
| gerbil | 13.1 |
| rat | 12.6 |
| cat | 12.1 |
| mouse | 12.1 |
| rabbit | 11.4 |
| jaguar | 10.8 |
| duck | 10.8 |
| dog | 10.6 |
| bottle-nosed dolphin | 10.4 |
| baboon | 10.3 |
| chimpanzee | 9.7 |
| guinea pig | 9.4 |
| human adolescent | 9.0 |
| human adult | 8.0 |
| pig | 7.8 |
| gray seal | 6.2 |
| goat | 5.3 |
| cow | 3.9 |
| sheep | 3.8 |
| elephant | 3.5 |
| donkey | 3.1 |
| horse | 2.9 |
| giraffe | 1.9 |
Top photo credits, clockwise from upper left: Tambako The Jaguar, Just Jefa, Eddy Van 3000, Kurt Bauschardt, Jonathan Willier, Rajiv Vishwa
