Northern elephant seals sleep just two hours a day at sea

The mammals snooze less than 20 minutes at a time during dives

A photo of a northern elephant seal poking its head out of the water.

Northern elephant seals are deep sleepers. Literally. They dive hundreds of meters below the ocean surface to take naps unbothered by sharks or killer whales.

Mark Newman/Getty Images

Northern elephant seals are the true masters of the power nap.

On long trips out to sea, the seals snooze less than 20 minutes at a time, researchers report in the April 21 Science.