Feb 16, 2025

From floating to hanging upside down: 9 animals that sleep in unique ways

Aakanksha Sharma

Unique sleep styles

While most humans like to sleep lying down, preferably on a bed, animals have their own unique ways to snooze. Some lie down while others hang upside down, and everyone has their own way to sleep and rest. Here we mention 9 animals that sleep in unique ways.

canva

Elephants

Elephants, the gentle giants of the wild, have a unique and adorable way of sleeping. Even though they are all massive in size, they usually sleep together, in groups, and sometimes even standing up.

canva

Manatees

Manatees, also known as sea cows, take their naps by lying down on the seafloor. In numerous pictures online, the manatees can be seen sleeping and napping while lying down like humans, but just on the sea floor.

canva

Koalas

Koalas are one of the most lazy animals and they sleep for the majority of the day. And Koalas can be seen sleeping while being curled up in a cosy ball around the tree branches.

canva

Whales

Some species of whales, like sperm whales, have a rather weird way of sleeping and can shock and scare people. These whales sleep in a vertical position, completely upright, and look like they are suspended in the water, floating in a trance.

canva

Sea otters

One of the most unique and adorable sleeping styles comes from the sea otters. They nap and sleep on the water beds, floating on their back, and to not drift away, they also hold hands.

canva

You may also like

​10 incredible eagles from different con...
8 most hairy and fluffy cat breeds

Owls

Owls, especially baby owls, sleep by lying flat on a branch, looking like they were way too tired and just crashed on the branch from exhaustion.

canva

Sloths

Another unique but eerie way to sleep is from the sloths. They have super deep sleep cycles, and most of them can be spotted sleeping while hanging from tree branches. Their claws are super strong and hold them in place

canva

Bats

One of the most uniquely famous ways an animal sleeps is by hanging upside down. Most bats can be spotted sleeping this way. They cling to the branches or ceilings with their claws.

canva

Snails

Snails take protective sleep up a notch by retracting into their shells. When the conditions around them are too harsh, they curl up into their shell and enter a hibernation-like state.

canva

Thanks For Reading!

Next: ​10 incredible eagles from different continents​