Sleep (status condition)

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Goh's giant Magikarp sleeping in the anime

Sleep (Japanese: Sleeping) is a status condition that causes a Pokémon to be unable to make a move. In the games, it is often abbreviated as SLP.

In the core series games

Effect

Sleep prevents Pokémon from making a move for a random number of its turns (unless it is put to sleep by Rest, in which case it always lasts 2 turns). The specifics vary between generations.

Sleeping Pokémon are vulnerable to Dream Eater, Nightmare, and Bad Dreams.

Generation I

Sleep lasts 1-7 turns (1-3 in the Stadium series); this counter is not reset upon switching out. A Pokémon cannot move on the turn it wakes up.

Generation II

Sleep now lasts 1-6 turns (1-3 in the Battle Tower), and a Pokémon can make a move on the turn it wakes up.

Roaming Pokémon do not flee while asleep.

Generation III

Sleep now lasts 2-5 turns. Using Snore or Sleep Talk while asleep increments the sleep counter like normal, but due to an oversight, the updates to the sleep counter by these two moves are not saved upon switching out, effectively being reset.

Roaming Pokémon may now flee while asleep.

Generation IV

Snore and Sleep Talk increment and update the sleep counter like normal.

Generation V

Sleep now lasts 1-3 turns. A Pokémon's sleep counter is now reset to its original amount when switched out (even if self-induced by Rest). Starting this generation, the animations of most Pokémon close their eyes and move more slowly while sleeping.

Generation VI onward

A Pokémon's sleep counter no longer resets to its original amount when switched out.

Appearance

From Generation V onward, Pokémon close their eyes when they are asleep, and their movement slows down.

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

Icons

AsleepIC RSE.png AsleepIC DP.png AsleepIC HGSS.png AsleepIC BW.png AsleepIC XY.png AsleepIC SM.png AsleepIC SwSh.png AsleepIC BDSP.png DrowsyIC LA.png
Icon from
Generation III
Icon from
Diamond, Pearl and Platinum
Icon from
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Icon from
Generation V
Icon from
Generation VI
Icon from
Generation VII
Icon from
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Icon from
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Icon from
Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Causes

Moves

Move Type Category Probability Power Accuracy Notes
Dark Void Dark Status 100% 50% Targets all adjacent opponents. In Generation VII, fails if the user is not Darkrai
G-Max Befuddle Bug Varies 33.3% —% Exclusive G-Max Move of Gigantamax Butterfree
May also paralyze or poison (33.3% chance of each)
G-Max Snooze Dark Varies 50% —% Exclusive G-Max Move of Gigantamax Grimmsnarl
Takes effect at end of the next turn after use. If the afflicted switches, the move does not take effect
Grass Whistle Grass Status 100% 55% Will not affect Pokémon with Soundproof
Hypnosis Psychic Status 100% 60%
Lovely Kiss Normal Status 100% 75%
Psycho Shift Psychic Status 100% 100% If the user is asleep and uses the move via Sleep Talk
Relic Song Normal Special 10% 75 100% Hits all adjacent opponents. Causes Meloetta to change Forme. Will not affect Pokémon with Soundproof
Rest Psychic Status 100% Puts user to sleep, restoring HP to 100% and removing any other non-volatile status condition. Sleep will only last 2 turns
Secret Power Normal Physical 30% 70 100% May cause sleep only when used in long grass (Generation III), tall grass (Generation IV onward), or when Grassy Terrain is in effect (Generation VI onward)
Sing Normal Status 100% 55% Will not affect Pokémon with Soundproof
Sleep Powder Grass Status 100% 75% Grass types, as well as Pokémon with Overcoat and Safety Goggles, are immune to Sleep Powder (Generation VI onward)
Spore Grass Status 100% 100% Grass types, as well as Pokémon with Overcoat and Safety Goggles, are immune to Spore (Generation VI onward)
Yawn Normal Status 100% Takes effect at end of the next turn after use. If the afflicted switches, the move does not take effect

Other causes

A Pokémon has a 11% chance of falling asleep after making contact with a Pokémon with the Effect Spore Ability. A disobedient outsider Pokémon may take a nap (putting itself to sleep) instead of obeying a command.

Curing

A sleeping Pokémon will eventually wake up on its own, after the required number of turns has elapsed.

A sleeping Pokémon can be awoken by an Awakening or a Chesto Berry (Mint Berry in Generation II). In addition, like all other major status conditions, it can be cured by the items Full Heal, Rage Candy Bar, Lava Cookie, Old Gateau, Casteliacone, Lumiose Galette, Shalour Sable, Big Malasada, Full Restore, Heal Powder, Lum Berry (MiracleBerry in Generation II), and Sacred Ash. In Generation I core series games and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Poké Flute can be used in battle to wake up a sleeping Pokémon (without being consumed). In the Generation III and IV core series games and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Blue Flute can be used to wake up a sleeping Pokémon (without being consumed).

The move Uproar wakes up all sleeping Pokémon on the field when used, and in Generation III and IV, wakes up sleeping Pokémon on the field at the end of each turn or when they would use a move. The moves Heal Bell (unless the Pokémon has Soundproof as their Ability in Generation III and IV) and Aromatherapy remove the sleep condition from all Pokémon in the user's party. If its target is sleeping, Wake-Up Slap will wake it up in addition to becoming more powerful. If a Pokémon has the Ability Insomnia or Vital Spirit, it will wake up if it is ever asleep; the move Worry Seed changes the target's Ability to Insomnia. In Generation I only, using Haze wakes up a sleeping opponent.

Pokémon with Natural Cure are cured of any status conditions when switched out. At the end of the turn, Pokémon with the Ability Hydration will be cured if is raining, Pokémon with Shed Skin have a 1/3 chance of being cured, Pokémon with Healer have a 30% chance of curing their allies, and Pokémon with high Affection have a chance of being cured.

In Pokémon Colosseum and XD, the Call option (which replaces the usual Run option) can be used to awaken sleeping Pokémon.

Prevention

Pokémon with the Insomnia or Vital Spirit Abilities cannot be put to sleep. Pokémon with Leaf Guard will be protected from status conditions in harsh sunlight. Pokémon with Sweet Veil and their allies cannot be put to sleep. Pokémon with the Comatose Ability will act like they are asleep, without actually being asleep, and the Ability prevents them from being put to sleep.

Pokémon with Early Bird will be asleep half the usual amount of turns, possibly causing them to immediately wake up.

While Electric Terrain or Misty Terrain is present, grounded Pokémon cannot fall asleep (including self-inflicted sleep from Rest). Pokémon normally cannot fall asleep while a Pokémon is using the move Uproar.

Advantages

The moves Snore and Sleep Talk can only be used while asleep. Pokémon with Guts and Quick Feet will have their Attack or Speed boosted respectively while they are asleep, but must use the aforementioned moves to completely reap their benefits; Pokémon with the Ability Marvel Scale will have their Defense boosted while asleep.

In the spin-off games

Mystery Dungeon series

Main article: Sleep-related conditions in Mystery Dungeon

In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, there are several different varieties on the sleeping condition. The standard, Asleep, functions similarly to how Sleep does in the main games. When a Pokémon is asleep, they cannot act for 3 to 6 turns. The sleeping Pokémon can use Snore and Sleep Talk, and is vulnerable to Dream Eater and Bad Dreams.

Rest in Mystery Dungeon is turned into a move that causes a variety of Asleep on the user, named Napping. Napping is similar to Asleep, but when the user wakes, all their negative status conditions will be gone.

Nightmare in Mystery Dungeon is turned into a move that causes a variation of Asleep, named after itself, although it can override a Pokémon that's already Asleep or Napping. When a Pokémon is inflicted with Nightmare, they cannot act for 4 to 7 turns, and takes 8 HP of damage when they awaken.

Other sleep aliments include Yawning, which causes Asleep after 3 turns, and Sleepless, which prevent the previous four conditions from occurring for 11 to 12 turns. Like in the main games, Sleeping can be cured early using a Chesto Berry.

Rumble series

Sleep (Asleep when inflicted in-game) is a negative status in the Rumble series. A Pokémon affected by sleep is unable to move or use any moves for roughly five seconds. However, if the affected Pokémon is controlled by a player, inputting movement or button commands will make the effect wear off faster, with a minimum duration of about two seconds. Sleeping Pokémon rock back and forth slowly while light blue 'Z's periodically rise from its head.

No types are immune to sleep, but Pokémon with the Adept or Steady Special Traits cannot be paralyzed, and those with the Reflector Trait will cause the user of the sleep-inflicting move to fall asleep instead if hit by one.

Rest in the Rumble series causes a different positive status called Mend. It shares similar properties with Asleep, but a Pokémon under this status gradually restores HP while it remains asleep. Additionally, a green healing aura surrounds the Pokémon. Though Pokémon can usually have one positive status and one negative status at the same time, Pokémon under the effects of Mend cannot be inflicted with Asleep.

Pokémon Conquest

In Pokémon Conquest, Sleep prevents a Pokémon from taking any action during their turn, but their Warrior may still use their Warrior Skill or item. Sleep can be cured through certain Warrior Skills, items, or by ending a Pokémon's turn in a hot spring or a water bucket. There is also a chance for sleeping Pokémon to wake up when they are attacked or at the start of their turn.

Sleep can be inflicted by abilities and attacks, but compared to other status conditions, attacks and abilities that inflict sleep are rare: there is only one attack to inflict Sleep, Munna's Hypnosis, and only three abilities to inflict sleep, one of which is exclusive to Musharna. Sleep can be inflicted on the player's team by Yoshimoto's exclusive Warrior Skill Grace, which fully heals the player's army then puts them to sleep.

Pokémon Shuffle

In Pokémon Shuffle, a sleeping Pokémon cannot use any disruptions, its disruption countdown is paused, and takes 20% more damage.

Sleep can be inflicted by Pokémon with the Nap Time or Sleep Charm Skills. The Sleep Combo Skill also boosts damage against sleeping foes.

Fighting, Rock, Ghost, Steel, Grass, Ice, Dragon, and Dark-type Pokémon are immune to sleep.

In the anime

Ambipom is asleep

Sleeping is a status condition that has been present since the early days of the anime. When used in battle, it often forces the afflicted Pokémon to be recalled, and in certain Pokémon League Conferences, the sleeping Pokémon can be designated as unable to battle. Uses of sleep in major episodes and movies include:

Original series

and send Charmander out in its place.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Pokémon the Series: XY

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

  • In Lulled to La-La Land!, a wild Morelull used Sleep Powder on two occasions to make Ash and his friends fall asleep in order to absorb their energy (excluding Lillie due to the Max Repel she placed on herself). Later, after Morelull evolved into a Shiinotic, it used Sleep Powder again to make Ash and his friends fall asleep but gave them energy in return for Ash and his friends willingly giving their energy to it.
  • In Let Sleeping Pokémon Lie!, Samson Oak's Komala used Sing on Jigglypuff, causing the latter to fall asleep.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

In the manga

Ash & Pikachu

In An Awesome Showdown!!, Ash's Snorlax put itself to sleep with Rest in order to heal itself during Ash's battle with Greta.

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

In Play Misty for Me, Ash's newly evolved Butterfree put Misty's Gyarados to sleep with Sleep Powder.

In The Indigo Finals, Ritchie's Happy put Ash's Squirtle to sleep with Sleep Powder just as it got knocked out by Squirtle's Skull Bash, resulting in a double knockout.

In Attack of the Demon Stomach, Ash had Jigglypuff put a wild Snorlax to sleep with Sing, allowing him to catch it.

In You Bet Your Wife, Ash's Bulbasaur put Rudy's Exeggutor to sleep with Sleep Powder.

Phantom Thief Pokémon 7

In Breaking Into The Enemy's Lair!, Hiori had his Tangrowth put several Team Galactic Grunts to sleep with Sleep Powder in order to sneak into Team Galactic's hideout.

In Stopping Darkrai!!, a Darkrai put multiple people and Pokémon to sleep with Dark Void, until it itself was put to sleep by Hiori's Mime Jr.'s mimicked Dark Void.

Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!

In Walkthrough! Battle Tower!!, 's Rotom was put to sleep by a Noctowl using Hypnosis while he was challenging the Battle Tower. However, Rotom was able to immediately wake up thanks to its held Chesto Berry.

Pokémon Adventures

Red, Green & Blue arc

In Wanted: Pikachu!, Red used Saur's Sleep Powder in order to put a wild Pikachu to sleep, making it an easy catch for him.

Yellow arc

In Ponyta Tale, Red had Saur use Sleep Powder to stop a mailman's Ponyta, who had become overly excited by Pallet Town's fresh air.

In Valiant Venomoth!, Sabrina tried to put Lorelei's Cloyster to sleep with her Venomoth's Sleep Powder attack. However, the attack was blown back by a Blizzard from the Bivalve Pokémon, causing Green's Nidorina, Nido, to fall asleep instead.

In Bang the Drum, Slowbro, Sabrina's Alakazam and Venomoth were put to sleep by a Lovely Kiss from Lorelei's Jynx.

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

In Forretress of Solitude, Red's Snor put himself to sleep with Rest while battling the Pokémon Association's Azumarill.

In Slugging It Out with Slugma, Crystal's Parasee put a group of wild Slugma to sleep with Spore, allowing her to easily catch them.

In Indubitably Ditto, Crystal's Parasee used Spore to put a group of Team Rocket members chasing Suicune to sleep.

In Oh, It's Ho-Oh!, Evan's Haunter put Miles's Persian to sleep with Hypnosis, after which he had Haunter use Nightmare on the sleeping Classy Cat Pokémon.

In Slick Slowking, Gold's Polibo used Hypnosis to put Sham and Carl's Pokémon to sleep. However, they were able to counter this by having their Slowking and Magcargo use Snore and Sleep Talk, respectively.

Ruby & Sapphire arc

In Talk About Timing, Treecko, Wally's Roselia put Treecko to sleep with Grass Whistle.

In Very Vexing Volbeat, Tabitha used his Torkoal's Yawn to put one of Amber's Volbeat to sleep.

FireRed & LeafGreen arc

In Surprised by Sneasel, Silver's Gyarados put himself to sleep with Rest in order heal himself while battling against Sird's Banette. However, Banette used Snatch to steal the move and prevent Gyarados from healing himself.

Emerald arc

In Swanky Showdown with Swalot, Lucy's Seviper was put to sleep by a Swalot's Yawn during an exhibition battle at the Battle Frontier opening ceremony. Seviper was, however, quickly woken up thanks to its Shed Skin Ability.

In Moving Past Milotic, Emerald's borrowed Starmie was put to sleep by a Kirlia using Hypnosis during his Battle Pike challenge. Despite this, Starmie was able to use its held Lum Berry to wake up immediately and then counterattack.

Diamond & Pearl arc

In Dramatic Drapion & Crafty Kricketune II, a Scientist's Kricketune put Diamond's Tru to sleep with Sing.

In To and Fro with Froslass, Platinum's Rapidash put himself to sleep with Rest while battling against Candice's Froslass. This, however, worked against Platinum when Candice had Froslass use Wake-Up Slap, which was powered up due to it waking up Rapidash.

Platinum arc

In The Final Dimensional Duel VII, Cheryl had her Blissey Sing to put Mars's Yanmega to sleep during her battle against the Team Galactic Commander.

In The Final Dimensional Duel VIII, Darkrai put Palmer's Cresselia to sleep with Hypnosis. Palmer countered by having Cresselia use Psycho Shift, causing Cresselia to wake up and Darkrai to fall asleep instead. Later during the same round, Charon had Darkrai use Dark Void to put his opponents' Legendary Pokémon to sleep. This was soon countered by Shaymin using Worry Seed on the sleeping Pokémon, changing their Abilities to Insomnia and thus causing them to immediately wake up.

X & Y arc

In PS587, Xerosic's Malamar used Hypnosis to put X's group and their Pokémon to sleep. However, X and Croaky were able to avoid the initial Hypnosis by covering their ears. Croaky was later put to sleep by another Hypnosis from Malamar, needing to be cured by an Awakening from Y.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!

In The Mystery Boy, Jun!!, Hareta's Piplup was put to sleep when Mars's Purugly used Hypnosis on it. Jun was able to heal it right afterwards with an Awakening.

In Challenge! The Fortress Of Steel!!, Hareta's Piplup was put to sleep by Byron's Bronzor's Hypnosis.

In Clash! Hareta vs. Koya, Hareta and his Misdreavus were put to sleep by Hypnosis from a Battle Girl's Kirlia.

In The Birth of the Greatest Tag Team?!, Hareta's Minun put Charon's Stunky to sleep with Sing.

Pokémon Zensho

In Cinnabar Island, Satoshi used his Jigglypuff's Sing to put Articuno to sleep, allowing Blaine to catch it.

In the TCG

In the Trading Card Game, Sleep, called Asleep, is one of the five Special Conditions along with Poisoned, Burned, Confused, and Paralyzed. If a Pokémon is Asleep, it cannot attack or retreat by itself. It must also be turned to the left. After each turn, if a player's Pokémon is Asleep, the player must flip a coin: if heads, the Asleep Pokémon "wakes up" and is no longer affected by the Special Condition. However, if the coin lands on tails, the Pokémon is still asleep. Unlike the Pokémon games, a Pokémon can be afflicted with more than one Special Condition at once; however, some special conditions will erase ones already present.

Trivia

  • In the Stadium games, Pokémon make either a snoring or sighing sound when put to sleep; "cuter" Pokémon generally use the latter.
  • Prior to Generation III, sleep could not be inflicted as a side-effect of a move that inflicts damage, the only status condition that could not be.
  • Prior to Generation IV, sleep was the only non-volatile status condition a Pokémon could inflict on itself (through Rest or disobedience). From Generation IV onward, a Pokémon can burn or poison itself by holding a Flame Orb or Toxic Orb, respectively.
  • Not counting fainted, sleep is the only status condition not technically associated with a certain type. Even so, Grass and Normal are the two most common types it is affiliated with.

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 睡眠 Seuihmìhn
Mandarin 睡眠 Shuìmián
France Flag.png French Sommeil
Germany Flag.png German Schläft
Italy Flag.png Italian Addormentato
South Korea Flag.png Korean 잠듦 Jamdeum
Portuguese Brazil Flag.png Brazil Dormindo (anime, manga)
Adormecido (TCG)
Portugal Flag.png Portugal Adormecido
Russia Flag.png Russian Спящий Spyashchiy
Spain Flag.png Spanish Dormido
Thailand Flag.png Thai หลับ Sleeping
Vietnam Flag.png Vietnamese Ngủ


Status conditions
BURN FREEZE PARALYSIS POISON
SLEEP CONFUSION FLINCH FAINTING


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