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From sleeping standing up to shutting down half of their brain, animals have some strange sleeping habits.

Now some of these more unusual habits, from napping giraffes to birds that sleep while flying, have been revealed in an infographic.

The chart maps the liveliest to the idlest creatures to reveal that Little brown bats are most lethargic, sleeping for around 19.5 hours a day.

The unusual sleeping habits of animals, from napping giraffes to birds that sleep while flying, are shown in an inforgraphic. This portion shows animals that tend to be the most active

This long period of sleep is thought to be a way of conserving energy and means they only hunt for a few hours each night when their insect prey are available.

In contrast, giraffes can go weeks without sleep and when they do grab some shut eye, it's never for more than five minutes.

This is because being large and slow moving giraffes are constantly vulnerable to attacks from predators, and therefore can't sleep for long periods.

Adult giraffes sleep standing up in short bursts, but keep watch on their young which lie down to sleep, tucking their long legs underneath their bodies and curling up like a cat.

However, other animals are experts at multitasking and can swim or fly while sleeping.

The chart maps the liveliest to the idlest creatures to reveal that Little brown bats are most lethargic, sleeping for around 19.5 hours a day. Here, the creatures doze from the ceiling of a church in Pennsylvania

As well as exotic beasts, the chart features pets such as domestic cats (shown above) which sleep for approximately two thirds of their lives and take extra naps when it's raining or if they're bored

For example, dolphins and whales sleep while keeping half of their brain alert, so they don't drown, with dolphins typically dozing for around 10 hours a day.

The method is known as 'logging' and it has been observed in bottlenose dolphins, which keep half of their brain a low level of alertness.

This allows the dolphin to retain enough consciousness to carry on breathing through its blowhole.

While sea otters aren't alert while they sleep, they form rafts to they don't drift away from each other.

The creatures sometimes hold hands, or paws, when they sleep and typically eat, sleep and rest while floating in groups called rafts. 

These can range in numbers from a handful to hundreds of otters.

Migrating birds can sleep while flying, with some drinking and napping during epic journeys that last for six months.

And scientists have found that migrating birds, such as the Alpine swift, can fly for 200 days without stopping.

The bird's activity appeared to rise and fall during flight in a 2011 study, leading experts to suggest they control their wings while sleeping.

Giraffes can go weeks without sleep and when they do grab some shut eye, it's never for more than five minutes. Adult giraffes sleep standing up in short bursts, but keep watch on their young which lie down to sleep, tucking their long legs underneath their bodies and curling up like a cat (pictured)

Dolphins and whales sleep while keeping half of their brain alert, so they don't drown, with dolphins typically dozing for around 10 hours a day. This allows the dolphin to retain enough consciousness to carry on breathing through its blowhole (pictured)

Sea otters (pictured) sometimes hold hands when they sleep and typically eat, sleep and rest while floating in groups called rafts

Perhaps less impressive is the ability of horses, zebras and elephants to sleep while standing up.

They do this because they are prey so they are ready to run to escape a predator.

But they do risk life and limb to lie down and get some precious rapid eye movement (REM) or deep sleep occasionally.

REM is characterised by random movement of the eyes, low muscle tone throughout the body, and the propensity of the sleeper to dream vividly.

Zebra sometimes sleep in pairs to they can rest their heads on each other's bodies, while cows also sleep standing up and stick close to their families.

In fact, their sleeping arrangements are determined by individuals' rank in the social hierarchy and calves are protected within a group.

In contrast to multi-tasking animals, some animals sleep for the majority of the day in safe places and high vantage points.

Just like the Little brown bat, which is the idlest creature on the infographic made by Mybedframes.co.uk, sloths also sleep for hours while holding on tightly. 

They hang from their claws from tree branches, or alternatively curl up into balls in the fork of a tropical tree.

In fact, the creatures barely leave their tree and only come down from their safe heights to go to the 'toilet' and for an occasional swim.

Sleeping for between 14 and 16 hours a day, means they have little time for socialising and lead mainly solitary lives.

Zebra sometimes sleep in pairs to they can rest their heads on each other's bodies (pictured), while cows also sleep standing up and stick close to their families

Horses, zebras and elephants (pictured) sleep standing up. They do this because they are prey so they are ready to run to escape a predator

Domestic cats are renowned for their laziness, sleeping for around 12 hours a day.

This is because they are hunters and their body clock makes sure they are awake in the early morning and dusk when they are most likely to catch prey.

Domestic cats actually sleep for approximately two thirds of their lives and take extra naps when it's raining or if they're bored.

Like human, cats will also become very irritable if they are deprived of the sleep they need for their particular lifestyle.

However, it's pigs that have the most similar sleeping style to us.

While humans get an average of 7.8 hours sleep a day, pigs get eight hours and dream like us.

They also snuggle close to one another and prefer to sleep nose to nose.

While humans get an average of 7.8 hours sleep a day, pigs (pictured) get eight hours and dream like us. They also snuggle close to one another and prefer to sleep nose to nose