World’s first footage of a great white shark ‘taking a nap’ will haunt your dreams

We know that great white sharks spend their waking hours hunting, killing and generally terrifying every other living being they encounter.

But until today, we've never really known what happens when these terrifying beasts fall asleep.

Now deep sea researchers have released which shows a great white "napping" - and it's as scary as you might imagine.

The Discovery Channel has filmed a shark called Emma in a state of slumber, but there's nothing pretty about this sleeping beauty.

And if you thought humans woke up in a bad mood, just imagine rousing a savage killer with 300 teeth and a jaw powerful enough to tear you in two.

"Emma's jaws are open, she appears to be in a catatonic state," the film's narrator said.

"Could Emma be napping?

2

"Facing into the current, with her mouth open, oxygen rich water flows over Emma's gills.

"It allows her to slow down and save energy for her hunting during the day, but she can never stop swimming completely because she'll sink to the bottom, suffocate and die."

2

Ian Tibbetts, a marine biologist from the Centre for Marine Science at the University of Queensland, t that sharks slept to maintain energy to continue their relentless hunt for prey.

"When something eats other large things periodically, it's in its interest to conserve its energy," he said.

"By reducing all muscle movement the shark extends the amount of time between meals."

Related Stories

NOW THAT'S A BITE

Incredible moment daredevil Aussie fishermen catch massive 14 foot TIGER SHARK off tourist beach

TOURIST SHAME

Blue shark dies after being dragged out of the water by beachgoers ... and even the lifeguards join in

Hooked

Daredevil fishermen go SWIMMING with massive sharks after catching 10 of the monsters off Australian beach

WHAT A BITE

Terrifying moment fisherman attacked by shark turning sea red with blood

So how do you tell for sure that a shark's slipped into the land of nod?
Firstly, there's no point trying to see if it's eyes are closed, because if they are, it's probably bad news.

"Sharks do have membranes that close over the eyes, but only when they're attacking prey." Tibbetts added.

The underwater expert said the only way to know for sure if a shark was slumbering is to check their brainwaves

"But it will be a little while before they do that to a great white," he concluded.