Most mammals’ breathing, including ours, is automatic and done without thinking about it. When we sleep, we are fully unconscious.
Whales also sleep horizontally below the surface, which is known as logging. When they sleep in this position, they often look like floating logs of wood! Some whale species also swim slowly as they rest. This helps them maintain their body heat. [3] X Research source While they typically stay close to the surface, researchers have encountered whales sleeping at depths of 30 to 50 feet (10-15 m) below the surface.
How long a whale rests before returning to the surface depends on the species. Sperm whales tend to sleep for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, while humpback whales usually rest for 30 minutes before needing to surface. [5] X Research source How much a whale sleeps each day in total also depends on the species. Sperm whales only spend about 7% of their day sleeping, while beluga whales and gray whales spend about ⅓ of their day sleeping.
Whales also typically sleep alongside their pod, or group of other whales they’re related to, to stay protected as they rest. While whales mostly rest with one eye open, researchers have stumbled upon sleeping whales that didn’t wake up from their presence. So, some researchers believe that whales can sleep with both of their eyes closed. [7] X Trustworthy Source Nature Respected Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Go to source
A whale drowning while sleeping is very uncommon. Their bodies are made for living in the sea, which they’ve successfully done for millions of years![9] X Research source Usually, whale drownings happen because one swam into shallow waters that they couldn’t get out of. The water is often high enough to still cover their blowhole, so they can’t exhale and get more air.
