Highlights
- In this list, we go over Pokemon that are best known for the act of sleeping.
- An example of this would be Jigglypuff, who puts others to sleep with its soothing lullaby, matching the wavelength of music to brain waves when asleep.
- Many of these Pokemon are known for sleeping throughout an entire day, or they possess a sleepy demeanor.
A vast array of Pokemon are available for you to catch and train in your adventures, and you'll become well-acquainted with their diverse personalities. With such a staggering amount of individual species, it's no surprise that some of them will have overlapping attributes, much like many real-life animals you see every day.
Whether it's in the Pokedex description or not, some Pokemon are clearly more prone to sleeping than others. Some Pokemon even avoid sleeping altogether, making both groups stand out from hundreds of others in the crowd.
Updated July 30, 2023 by Andrew Scariati: With Pokemon Sleep now firmly in our lives, it begs the question of which Pokemon perfectly embody sleepiness. From famous sleepy Pokemon like Slowpoke to legendaries who are in a war over your dreams, there are some new additions worthy of recognition.
Whether a sleeping Pokemon itself or simply one that likes to see others catch some Z's, these are the most iconic sleep Pokemon around.
13 Abra: Teleporting With Its Eyes Closed
While not especially rare, the Psychic-type Abra has proven itself to be a difficult Pokemon to catch — despite many Pokedex entries elaborating on its 18-hour sleep cycle. Abra's evasive teleporting maneuvers have given it a reputation for inducing frustration as it'll try to run from you as fast as it can.
While Abra clearly enjoys sleeping, it'sstill aware of any danger approaching it, even if it's deep within a dream — so waiting for it to doze off wouldn't do you any good. Onlookers might not know what the contents of those dreams are, but you have to wonder what lucid dreaming for a Psychic-type Pokemon would feel like.
12 Jigglypuff: Spins A Soothing Lullaby
Jigglypuff isn't known for sleeping itself, but rather for putting others to sleep! It has an enormous lung capacity since it can inflate them to ridiculous proportions.
Once it begins to sing its lullaby, anyone in earshot will find their eyes becoming mysteriously heavy. Pokemon scientists have discovered that this is because the wavelength of the music matches your brain waves when you're asleep. Talk about adaptation!
You can resist this sleepy song but be warned: you'reputting Jigglypuff's life in danger if you do. It will continue to sing until either you fall asleep or it runs out of air.
11 Slakoth: A Normal-Type, But Abnormally Slow
Hailing from the Hoenn region, Slakoth shares its sleepy demeanor with a number of Normal types. However, most similarities end there. The Slacker Pokemon has much more in common with its real-life inspiration: the sloth.
Sleeping for a whopping 20 hours a day, Slakoth doesn't need much nourishment to survive and will lie around all day if you let it. Despite that, this Pokemon also shares the sloth's uncharacteristically quick swimming speed, and strangely enough, its first evolution flips Slakoth's qualities on its head in the form of the rambunctious Vigoroth.
10 Slowpoke: Perpetually Dozing
Slowpoke is undoubtedly one of the most tired and lazy Pokemon in Kanto, or any region for that matter. These lackadaisical pink blobs only know one pace to live at: slowly. While their tails have been the subject of a few confrontations in the Pokemon world, their defining quality is certainly their aloof demeanor.
Upon evolving into either Slowbro or Slowking, their pace remains just the same as before, illustrating the Slowpoke family's commitment to complete relaxation. If you don't already find yourself slowing down, just spend some time watching a Slowpoke, and you'll start to take things at their pace.
9 Drowzee: Eating Your Dreams. Yeah, Really.
The English name of this Pokemon is a pun on the word "drowsy," so it's probably not a big surprise that it's interested in sleep. Like Jigglypuff, it's better known for putting others to sleep than for sleeping itself (though, it does look exhausted).
Drowzee feeds off of humans' dreams, especially children's (which it seems to prefer the taste of). If you're not already asleep when a Drowzee finds you, it can put you to sleep.
Then, it senses your dreams to make sure they're good ones; bad dreams make Drowzee sick. Then, it sucks the dreams out of your nose! Yeah, try getting that mental image out of your head.
8 Delcatty: Make Yourself At Home, Anywhere
Unsurprisingly, this feline Prim Pokemon likes to eat and sleep whenever it feels like it, so any schedules go out the window. Delcatty spends a lot of time doing the latter, and it'll plop down anywhere to get a few Zs in.
If it gets attacked during this behavior, it's content to simply move somewhere else, rather than make a scene. It's not fantastic at battling, anyway.
The thick fur around Delcatty's neck evenlooks similar to a neck pillow,so its chances of being uncomfortable are slim indeed. Always moving around, this Pokemon doesn't even maintain a nest, so that's more energy to put back into finding a different place to nap.
7 Jirachi: Slumber Only Heard Of In Myths
The Hoenn region has another heavy sleeper in the Wish Pokemon, Jirachi. Its status as a Mythical Pokemon makes it incredibly rare, and it's earned that title: sleeping for 1,000 years, it only awakens for seven days at a time. In addition, Jirachi is an incredibly strong fighter with its signature move, Doom Desire, in its arsenal of powers.
Its unthinkably long sleep cycle aside, Jirachi can defend itself while it sleeps, similarly to Abra. It also has the power to grant wishes that people ask of it. While you'd be incredibly lucky to find it, this snoozing Mythical Pokemon is an unforgettable encounter.
6 Musharna: You Are What You Eat
Dream Eater is the signature move of Musharna, as well as being integral to its diet. Many Psychic Pokemon incorporate a strong mind into nearly everything they do, but Musharna and its previous evolution, Munna, shake things up a bit: they feast on the dreams of sleeping people and Pokemon alike.
Concerning Musharna's legacy, it has a strong association with the Dream World; the Pokemon itself, and its Dream Mist linked to the mechanic in Pokemon Black & White. This sets it apart from Drowzee, another dream-eating, baku-like Pokemon that doesn't drowse as much as you'd expect.
5 Darkrai: The Bringer Of Nightmares
Darkrai's signature move, Dark Void is known to put any of its targets to sleep when it connects. This sleep merchant isn't just interested in putting its victims to sleep but relishes the chance to submerge them into a world of terrifying nightmares.
Despite the comforting embrace of sleep that Dark Void promises, any Pokemon who falls under its spell is doomed to unending torture in the darkest dreams.
Dark Void is so powerful that it received several nerfs in the games, which are indicative of Darkrai's sheer mastery of sleep and the incredible power it holds over dreams.
4 Cresselia: The Cleanser Of Dreams
This good-natured powerful legendary Pokemon uses its powers to combat Darkrai's nightmares, cleansing the dreams of any victims. This Lunar Pokemon features a bright color palette that reflects its purifying abilities. Its moon-like appearance is reminiscent of a good night's sleep filled with comforting dreams.
As the second member of the Lunar Duo, Cresselia's primary purpose is to keep Darkrai in check by dispelling the nightmares it forces upon its victims. Cresselia is like the benevolent sandman of the Pokemon world, keeping away sleep demons and evil thoughts, ensuring a restful night for all.
3 Arceus: Only Wakes Up To Jam Out To A Flute
According to legend, Arceus created the Sinnoh and Ransei continents, if not the entire Pokemon world. Wouldn't you be tired after all that work? (Just ignore the fact that it also supposedly had help from Giratina, Palkia, Dialga, Uxie, Mesprit, Uxie, and Azelf.)
We know from Arceus' movie that after creating the world and protecting it from a meteor, Arceus went into a deep sleep. In the games, it's revealed that Arceus can actually be awoken by a special item: the Azure Flute. Though, you have to work really hard to get it and challenge Arceus.
There's an argument to be made about exactly how asleep Arceus is, considering that it does interact with the world, such as going back in time for Pokemon Legends: Arceus. At least we can say its body is asleep, even if its consciousness isn't.
2 Komala: "Comatose" Is A Strong But Fitting Word
With an Ability like Comatose, you can guess what Komala's defining trait is: it never wakes up. It's another example categorized as a "Drowsing Pokemon", but it is unique in that its Ability prevents it from being burned, frozen, or paralyzed, without the adverse effect of skipping turns the Sleep condition would normally bring.
Pokedex entries state that Komala's diet consists of leaves with sedative qualities, yet it's not all restful sleep. Komala can always be affected by moves that are powered up from Sleep, like Hex or Dream Eater, so you need to pick your battles wisely with it. Let sleeping koalas lie, but keep an eye out for them, too.
1 Snorlax: Really, How Obvious Can It Get?
One of the most well-known slumbering giants in the franchise, Snorlax's favorite things are crystal-clear: sleeping and eating. It's even categorized as the Sleeping Pokemon in the Pokedex, not to mention its English name being made with the word "snore" in mind.
Other sleepyhead Pokemon put less importance on everyday food, but Snorlax makes up for those that don't on its own. Its Gigantamax form in Pokemon Sword & Shield emphasizes the food factor with a Berry-bearing tree appearing on its ginormous belly, but its desire for sleep can't get much bigger.