Why Koalas Sleep more than 20 Hours a Day?

Koalas almost sleep 20 hours a day. Koalas are a big fan of sleeping. They spend most of their timing in sleeping while the remaining 4 to 5 hours they spend in eating and occasionally mating as well. Sleeping this much longer is very unusual for a herbivore and a marsupial animal. Sleeping 18 to 20 hours a day is usually common within carnivore animals.

Koalas on average sleep around 20 hours per day. This sleep interval is unusually higher in koalas as compared to the other herbivore animals.

Lions and tigers are the perfect example in this regard. However; Koalas are one of the very few herbivore animals which sleep almost 20 hours per day. Herbivore animals are known for grazing throughout the day and some experts believe that they almost sleep for only 5 minutes per day. However; Koalas are unique in this regard and they spend most of their time sleeping.

Koalas are
Big Fan of Sleeping Koalas Sleep
20 Hours per day Lions & Tigers Sleep
18 hours per day Zebras Sleep
5 minutes per day

Koala Sleeps 20 hours per day
Koalas usually sleep around 20 hours per day and sometimes even more than 20 hours per day. Photo courtesy of Paula Longshore

But why do the koalas sleep more than 20 hours per day? The answer lies within metabolism rate of the koalas!

Sleepy Koala Picture.
Picture of a Sleep Koala. Sleepy behavior is always common within the Koalas. This picture belongs to 

There is a very simple biological reasoning that explains about the sleeping habits of the koalas i.e., Koalas have to maintain a very slow metabolism rate which helps them to conserve and save their body energy. Therefore; the Koalas slow down their metabolism rate by preferring to lay down static on trees and eventually start sleeping.

Koalas sleep more than 20 hours a day to slow down their metabolism rate which helps them to conserve their body energy.

This activity helps koalas in maintaining their energy levels and slowing down their metabolism rates. Furthermore; it will not be wrong to relate sleeping habit of the koalas to the animals that hibernate in the winter because such animals also slow down their metabolism rates to conserve their body energy. Laslty; do remember the fact that Koalas only eat Eucalyptus leaves which are also very low in calories and energy. Therefore; saving the body energy by laying down static through sleeping seems to be the best option for the koalas.

Koalas Sleep Long
To Slow Metabolism Rate Koalas Sleep Long
To Conserve Body Energy Eucalyptus Diet
Low in Calories

Koalas sleep 20 hours to slow metabolism rate.
Koalas sleep 20 hours or more to slow down their metabolism rate and conserve their body energy. Photo courtesy of Paula Longshore

There seems to be another reason which explains about the long sleeping habits of koalas and that is digestion of the food.

Koalas sleep 20 hours per day.
Koalas normally sleep about 20 hours per day. They have to sleep more to conserve their energy as their food carries very little nutritional value for them. This picture belongs to 

Another key reason for the Koalas to sleep more than 20 hours per day is related to their food digestion as well. The medical term sleeping helps in proper digestion applies perfectly in this scenario. We already know that Eucalyptus is a very poisonous food and offers little amount of calories for koalas. Yet still koalas have to eat it and digest it as well.

Koalas also sleep more than 20 hours a day to properly digest their notorious food of eucalyptus leaves.

No other animal dares to eat the Eucalyptus leaves but Koala. In order to digest this food properly, a long sleep is decisive in this regard. Therefore; sleeping for more than 20 hours also helps koalas to digest their notorious food of Eucalyptus leaves. Furthermore; we can also conclude that big sleep is a core for the survival of a koala and without a big sleep a koala may become weak and even die.

Koalas sleep long to digest their food.
Koalas also sleep more than 20 hours per day to digest their food which mainly consists of eucalyptus leaves. Photo courtesy of Paula Longshore

Eucalyptus Leaves
Poisonous Food Eucalyptus Digestion
Takes Time The More Koala Sleeps
The Better it Digests

Koalas hourly sleep helps slow metabolism rate.
Koalas hourly sleep of 20 hours allows the animal to lower down its metabolism rate. This helps the Koalas to conserve their body energy. This picture belongs to 

Despite sleepy; koalas are very much alert of anything unusual happening in their surroundings. A koala quickly moves around whenever a danger is triggered within the surroundings. Furthermore; if a koala feels threatened it has the ability to quickly move to safety before a predator strikes it. But trees are only safety for a koala. This is where they sleep and feel the most secure.

Despite being sleepy; koalas are usually aware of the dangers in the surroundings.

On a ground; a Koala is a perfect prey for the animals such as dingoes because they can’t outrun such fast and agile animals. Therefore; the ground penetration of the koalas is almost out of an equation and they prefer to stay and sleep on long eucalyptus trees of Australia.

Koalas feel alert if they feel any danger and they quickly awake up.
Despite very sleepy; koalas can be very alert when they feel any danger or an intruder within their territories. Photo courtesy of  

One can wonder; whether koalas remain sluggish like sloths? But this is not true. Koalas even though are not one of the sharpest and quickest ones within the animal kingdom but they are certainly not as sluggish as sloths.

Despite sleepy; koalas should not be considered as sluggish creatures like sloths.

However; koalas are not as agile as cats or monkeys on the trees. When a koala wants to switch a tree; it has to climb down the tree and then have to climb up the next tree again. Therefore; koalas stay on the ground for a very brief period of time and they never sleep on the grounds.

Koalas are sleepy but not sluggish like sloths.
Even though Koalas are very sleepy but they are not sluggish like sloth. However; they are not as agile as monkeys or other agile animals. Photo courtesy of