How Do Giraffes Sleep? How Little and in What Position

How much do giraffes sleep?

The best measurements come from zoos, where giraffes can be filmed all night. In a well-known study published in 1996, researchers in Switzerland recorded eight giraffes over 152 nights. The adults and young animals slept about 4.6 hours in 24 hours. Most sleep came between about 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., with a dip in the early morning hours, and the giraffes also took several short naps in the early afternoon.

Sleep was very broken up. Most periods of lying-down sleep lasted less than 11 minutes before the giraffe woke, shifted or stood. Giraffes that had spent the day in an outdoor enclosure rearranged their sleep the following night, which suggests their bodies regulate sleep carefully even though they get little of it.

In the wild, giraffes are much harder to watch at night, so firm numbers are lacking. Field observers describe the same pattern of short naps, and wild giraffes probably sleep similar or smaller amounts, because predators such as lions are a real threat. Claims that giraffes sleep only 30 minutes a day usually refer to deep sleep alone, not to all their rest.

What position do giraffes sleep in?

Giraffes sleep in two main ways:

• Standing. A giraffe can doze lightly on its feet, eyes half closed and ears still twitching. In the zoo study, the oldest animals slept standing most often.
• Lying down. For longer and deeper sleep, a giraffe lies on its chest with its legs folded under its body, keeping its neck upright.

During the deepest phase, the giraffe bends its long neck backward in a graceful arch and rests its head on its rump or hind leg. This curled pose is linked to paradoxical sleep, also called REM sleep, the stage when the brain is very active and the muscles relax. It made up only about 4.7% of total sleep in the zoo study, roughly 13 minutes a day, split into very short bouts.

Why do giraffes sleep so little?

Eating takes time. Giraffes are large plant eaters that need around 34 kg (75 lb) of leaves a day. Browsing and chewing the cud fill much of their time, and rumination continues at night, often while lying down.

Getting up is slow. A lying giraffe must rock forward onto its front knees, push its hind end up, and then straighten its front legs, swinging its neck for balance. This takes a few seconds, which could be deadly if a lion is close. Staying alert and sleeping lightly reduces that risk.

Safety in numbers. Giraffes resting together can take turns being watchful, and their great height and sharp eyesight let at least some of the group spot danger from far away. Large grazing animals in general, such as horses, cattle and elephants, sleep less than small mammals like cats, bats and rodents.

Do giraffe calves sleep more?

Yes. Young giraffes sleep and rest much more than adults. For the first one to three weeks of life, a calf spends a great deal of time lying hidden in grass or bushes while its mother feeds nearby, relying on its spotted coat for camouflage.

Calves are also more likely to sleep lying down, often with the head resting on the body in the curled position. As they grow and become more active, their sleep becomes shorter and more broken, like that of adults.

Where and when do giraffes rest?

Giraffes rest mainly at night and during the hottest part of the day. Around midday they often stand in the shade chewing the cud, half dozing. At night they often rest near other giraffes, and field studies suggest they favor fairly open spots where approaching predators are easier to see.

In zoos, giraffes usually spend nights in tall barns, where they lie down more often than wild giraffes might. That is one reason zoo sleep figures may not match life on the savanna exactly.

Myths and facts about giraffe sleep

Myth: giraffes never lie down. Giraffes lie down regularly, both to sleep and to chew the cud. They simply do it less than many other animals and get up quickly when disturbed.

Myth: giraffes sleep only half an hour a day. Deep sleep may total only minutes, but measured total sleep is several hours.

Fact: they can sleep standing up. Like horses, giraffes can doze on their feet, though deep sleep usually needs lying down. Learn more about these remarkable animals in our giraffe profile, or compare with other species in How long do sloths sleep?