Scientists have learned that northern elephant seals — massive creatures found along the Pacific Coast of North America — cobble together a couple hours of sleep using underwater power naps.

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, like these 2-month-old northern elephant seals resting at California's Año Nuevo State Park.

When Northern elephant seals haul out on land to breed and molt, they sleep for over 10 hours a day. During that time, the seals aren’t eating, which may explain their need for extra sleep.

Elephant seals drift downwards in a "sleep spiral" when deep diving in the ocean, a new study found. Sleeping while deep diving allows the seals to avoid predators, scientists believe.

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, but during months-long foraging trips at sea they average just 2 hours of sleep per day. These 2-month-old northern elephant seals are sleeping ...

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, but during months-long foraging trips at sea they average just 2 hours of sleep per day. These 2-month-old northern elephant seals are sleeping ...

In the first-ever sleep study on marine mammals in the wild, she found in the open ocean, elephant seals sleep less than two hours per day—while on land, they doze more than 10 hours a day.

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, like these 2-month-old northern elephant seals resting at California's Año Nuevo State Park.

Sleeping 2-month-old northern elephant seals in the shallow lagoon at Año Nuevo State Park, Calif. Photo by Jessica Kendall-Bar. NMFS 23188. “Elephant seals are unusual in that they switch between ...

Elephant seals sleep about 10 hours a day on the beach, like these 2-month-old northern elephant seals resting at California's Año Nuevo State Park.

Elephant seals drift off to sleep while diving far below the ocean surface Date: April 20, 2023 Source: University of California - Santa Cruz Summary: ...