Do whales and sharks fall asleep?

Question

Do whales and sharks fall asleep?

Answer 1

Actually sharks can take breathers as it were and many species like the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum have quite impressive movement in the gill filaments  and can remain on the bottom almost totally motionless for extended periods( hrs ).

Answer 2

They're probably like dolphins.  Dolphins kind of half-sleep.  Because they are living and like all things, need rest, they have to somehow.  On the other hand, they have to be aware of their surroundings to stay out of danger.  Part of the brain rests while some works.  

Answer 3

I don't know I've always wondered.

I think so.. my fish sleeps but of course he has no eyelids so his eyes are open.

But he's sleeping all right because he's completely still and wont move until he probably feels vibrations or something.

Answer 4

To the first answer: not all animals sleep!  Yeah, I know it's weird, but true.  Whales are mammals and most mammals sleep (at least that I know of) because of an evolutionary trait passed down because of a process that our common ancestors used to go through called a torpor blah, blah, blah, so I think it's likely that they sleep.  I'm not sure about sharks though...

Answer 5

ive always wondered that !

Answer 6

Yes they do. All animals do fall asleep except ants.

Answer 7

yes whales and sharks do sleep.

whales are able to 'turn off' half of their brain at a time. So one half of the brain rests while the other half is able to keep the whale functioning so that they can still breathe (because whales are mammals and still need to be at the surface to get air). With whales it is called logging when they sleep.

I'm not positive on exactly what the brain of a shark is doing when they are sleeping, as they are fish and do not need to come to the surface to breathe, but it is probably along the same lines.

Answer 8

I'm not sure about whales, but I believe sharks have to keep moving or they would drown. Yes people, fish can drown.

Answer 9

yes, most complex organism they need to slow down to recuperated, even plants. slowing down the physiology to bare minimum is sleeping.

think of this way,   just because rabbits sleep with their eyes half shout,  does that  mean that they are awake?!!.. :)

Answer 10

YESH!! their living creatures to ya know! :)

Answer 11

Sharks continue to swim while they sleep its a natural 'reflex' i guess you could call ti like humans breathe subconsciously sharks swim. Whales I assume are like dolphins which 'switch' off half their brain while sleeping so they still come up for air even while sleeping.