Move over Sleeping Beauty, snails might be just the next Disney princess.

Did you know that snails can take naps for as long as three years in hibernation or estivation? So the next time you wish for a bit more shut-eye after long hours of work, you may consider wishing to be a snail in your next life.

There’s a catch though. A snail’s three-year sleep is mainly caused by extreme weather conditions.

Snails need moisture to keep kicking (or crawling…?) so if the weather is too hot, too cold, or too dry, they would either hibernate (during winter) or estivate (sleep during summer). To let the warm and cool climate pass, they can sleep for up to three years.

During this time, the snail goes back into its shell, releases as much moisture as possible from its body, and seals the opening of its shell with a cellophane-like layer called an epiphragm, to protect themselves from harsh climates. Some snails even wake up after estivating for 70 years!

Good for them, honestly. I, too, would want to hibernate when I cannot take unbearable, external conditions. Except without myself covered in mucus.

When they’re not sleeping for years, snails generally sleep on and off in between 13 to 15 hours a day. Once they have finished their regular sleep cycle, they will be filled with enough energy to get their snail activities done and finished for the next 30 hours.

Oh to be a snail…

Trying to sleep for 3 hours,

Catchy

Useful links:

https://www.azpetvet.com/can-certain-snails-really-sleep-for-3-years/

https://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/nekola/nekola%20pdf/tinytravelers.pdf