How Do Lions Sleep?

by
Lion On The Lookout

If you have ever seen a lion in person, there’s a good chance they were sleeping. Lions sleep so often that it’s common to find them sleeping, whether in the wild or in a park. You can find all sorts of pictures on the Internet of lions sleeping in various positions too. There’s no standard sleep position like some other animals.

Although these beasts are the apex predators of their environment, you would not be able to tell from looking at them as they sleep. Lions really know how to relax. 

Whether it’s on their backs with their legs up in the air, curled up in a ball, or lounging from a low-hanging tree branch, lions know how to get comfortable. 

Lounging is a good word to describe how a lion sleeps, as they don’t typically sleep for 16 to 20 hours all at once. Oftentimes, lions will break up their sleep into several smaller chunks of time. When they awaken in between bouts of sleep, it’s typical for them to feed, groom, and play with one another and their young.

Lions typically like to sleep in the shade during the day when it’s hot. But, they are also known to bask in the sun, especially after a meal.

While we might not be able to relate to how lions sleep, as we don’t usually take multiple naps throughout the day, it’s still interesting to know how these animals spend a good portion of their lives. The next time you see a lion at the zoo or on TV, see if you can spot how they are sleeping. It might just give you a new appreciation for how these animals rest and relax.