diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index 03fc1938..6fc717df 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ Description
 extractor.*.sleep
 -----------------
 Type
-    ``float``
+    |Duration|_
 Default
     ``0``
 Description
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ Description
 extractor.*.sleep-extractor
 ---------------------------
 Type
-    ``float``
+    |Duration|_
 Default
     ``0``
 Description
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ Description
 extractor.*.sleep-request
 -------------------------
 Type
-    ``float``
+    |Duration|_
 Default
     ``0``
 Description
@@ -3167,7 +3167,8 @@ Custom Types
 Date
 ----
 Type
-    ``string`` or ``integer``
+    * ``string``
+    * ``integer``
 Example
     * ``"2019-01-01T00:00:00"``
     * ``"2019"`` with ``"%Y"`` as `date-format`_
@@ -3179,10 +3180,28 @@ Description
     * If given as ``integer``, it is interpreted as UTC timestamp.
 
 
+Duration
+--------
+Type
+    * ``float``
+    * ``list`` with 2 ``floats``
+Example
+    * ``2.85``
+    * ``[1.5, 3.0]``
+Description
+    A |Duration|_ represents a span of time in seconds.
+
+    * If given as a single ``float``, it will be used as that exact value.
+    * If given as a ``list`` with 2 floating-point numbers ``a`` & ``b`` ,
+      it will be randomly chosen with uniform distribution such that ``a <= N <=b``.
+      (see `random.uniform() <https://docs.python.org/3/library/random.html#random.uniform>`_)
+
+
 Path
 ----
 Type
-    ``string`` or ``list`` of ``strings``
+    * ``string``
+    * ``list`` of ``strings``
 Example
     * ``"file.ext"``
     * ``"~/path/to/file.ext"``
@@ -3328,6 +3347,7 @@ Description
 .. |datetime| replace:: ``datetime``
 .. |datetime.max| replace:: ``datetime.max``
 .. |Date| replace:: ``Date``
+.. |Duration| replace:: ``Duration``
 .. |Path| replace:: ``Path``
 .. |Last-Modified| replace:: ``Last-Modified``
 .. |Logging Configuration| replace:: ``Logging Configuration``
diff --git a/gallery_dl/extractor/common.py b/gallery_dl/extractor/common.py
index 4dc8ac76..d54ef48f 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/extractor/common.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/extractor/common.py
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@ class Extractor():
         self._retries = self.config("retries", 4)
         self._timeout = self.config("timeout", 30)
         self._verify = self.config("verify", True)
-        self.request_interval = self.config(
-            "sleep-request", self.request_interval)
+        self._interval = util.build_duration_func(
+            self.config("sleep-request", self.request_interval),
+            self.request_interval_min,
+        )
 
         if self._retries < 0:
             self._retries = float("inf")
-        if self.request_interval < self.request_interval_min:
-            self.request_interval = self.request_interval_min
 
         self._init_session()
         self._init_cookies()
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ class Extractor():
         response = None
         tries = 1
 
-        if self.request_interval:
-            seconds = (self.request_interval -
+        if self._interval:
+            seconds = (self._interval() -
                        (time.time() - Extractor.request_timestamp))
             if seconds > 0.0:
                 self.log.debug("Sleeping for %.5s seconds", seconds)
diff --git a/gallery_dl/job.py b/gallery_dl/job.py
index 13cad4d8..a41a08c8 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/job.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/job.py
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ class Job():
         log = extractor.log
         msg = None
 
-        sleep = extractor.config("sleep-extractor")
+        sleep = util.build_duration_func(extractor.config("sleep-extractor"))
         if sleep:
-            time.sleep(sleep)
+            time.sleep(sleep())
 
         try:
             for msg in extractor:
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ class DownloadJob(Job):
             return
 
         if self.sleep:
-            time.sleep(self.sleep)
+            time.sleep(self.sleep())
 
         # download from URL
         if not self.download(url):
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class DownloadJob(Job):
         if kwdict:
             pathfmt.set_directory(kwdict)
 
-        self.sleep = cfg("sleep")
+        self.sleep = util.build_duration_func(cfg("sleep"))
         self.fallback = cfg("fallback", True)
         if not cfg("download", True):
             # monkey-patch method to do nothing and always return True
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ class SimulationJob(DownloadJob):
         self.pathfmt.set_filename(kwdict)
         self.out.skip(self.pathfmt.path)
         if self.sleep:
-            time.sleep(self.sleep)
+            time.sleep(self.sleep())
         if self.archive:
             self.archive.add(kwdict)
 
@@ -695,9 +695,10 @@ class DataJob(Job):
         self.filter = util.identity if private else util.filter_dict
 
     def run(self):
-        sleep = self.extractor.config("sleep-extractor")
+        sleep = util.build_duration_func(
+            self.extractor.config("sleep-extractor"))
         if sleep:
-            time.sleep(sleep)
+            time.sleep(sleep())
 
         # collect data
         try:
diff --git a/gallery_dl/util.py b/gallery_dl/util.py
index 935bf99f..1842ff97 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/util.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/util.py
@@ -409,6 +409,24 @@ def compile_expression(expr, name="<expr>", globals=GLOBALS):
     return functools.partial(eval, code_object, globals)
 
 
+def build_duration_func(duration, min=0.0):
+    if not duration:
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        lower, upper = duration
+    except TypeError:
+        pass
+    else:
+        return functools.partial(
+            random.uniform,
+            lower if lower > min else min,
+            upper if upper > min else min,
+        )
+
+    return functools.partial(identity, duration if duration > min else min)
+
+
 def build_predicate(predicates):
     if not predicates:
         return lambda url, kwdict: True