Scientists Uncover Extreme and Surprising Sleeping Habits of Elephant Seals

Northern elephant seals get as little as 2 hours of sleep per day while diving, relying on short power naps during deep dives that add up to about 2 hours of sleep per day
Scientists studied northern elephant seals' brain activity while they were underwater at extreme pressures and depths
Elephant seals prefer to sleep briefly while diving near the coast in the ocean but sleep up to 14 hours per day once they return to land
The seals take quick nap-dives while deep underwater, flipping onto their backs and spiraling downwards before waking to surface and breathe
The study shows how adaptable and unusual sleep can be across species and highlights how sleep is necessary but can be cut drastically depending on the animal