Sleep is a status in Final Fantasy VIII. Sleep temporarily prevents the afflicted from acting. Regardless, Evasion is not reduced, so it is possible to avoid attacks while sleeping. While induced with Sleep, the effects and durations of other statuses are paused. The afflicted unit leans over with Z's floating above their head.
Some bosses and enemies, especially in the earlier portions of the game, are vulnerable to Sleep. By using this status effect with ST-ATK-J, players may exploit this weakness by casting spells on the afflicted, taking little to no damage throughout the battle.
The effect lasts approximately 13.3 seconds, and will end if a target is struck physically, whether it hits or not.
Sleep is good against T-Rexaurs, especially in the early game; the player can get Sleeps from Grats in the Training Center. When the T-Rexaur is sleeping, the player can then use Blizzard spells and Shiva against it without it waking.
Sleep is also good against Ruby Dragon, who has high resistance to infliction. The player can use Irvine'sDark Shot to make sure it sticks, and Shot also does not awake sleepers. The player can use Demi against the sleeping Ruby Dragon to not wake it.
and 
to initiate escape animation during Hypnotize to avoid being inflicted.