How much sleep do you need by age?
No matter who you are, sleep is utmost important for your health.
Sleep is not only important for feeling relaxed, but it is also crucial for the body and mind to function properly. It’s also necessary for keeping your memories intact. The body goes through critical processes for cellular growth, repair, restore energy, release molecules and maintenance when you sleep. This is essential for the immune system’s accurate process as well as general physical wellness.
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Hormones that regulate stress, appetite, and metabolism are among those that are released in response to sleep. Sleep disturbances can alter the balance of hormones, which may result in a number of health problems.
Getting enough sleep helps to enhance general physical survival, coordination, and response time and productivity. Chronic sleep deficiency has been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Poor sleep is linked to depression Getting enough sleep is crucial to sustaining normal blood pressure levels and strengthens your heart. Considering the benefits of getting a regulated sleep, we must be wondering the right hours of sleep we need to be in our best health.
Recommendations for sleep duration are broken down by age group
Different age groups need different amounts of sleep. In each group, the guidelines present a recommended range (By Trusted Source: National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information) of nightly sleep duration for healthy individuals. In some cases, sleeping an hour more or less than the general range may be acceptable based on a person’s circumstances.
Age Group | Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day | |
Newborn | 0–3 months | 14–17 hours (National Sleep Foundation) |
Infant | 4–12 months | 12–16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
Preschool | 3–5 years | 10–13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
School Age | 6–12 years | 9–12 hours per 24 hours |
Teen | 13–18 years | 8–10 hours per 24 hours |
Adult | 18–60 years | 7 or more hours per night |
61–64 years | 7–9 hours | |
65 years and older | 7–8 hours | |
Pay attention to how you feel during the day to determine whether you’re getting the right amount for you.
If you’re sleeping enough, you should feel awake and energized during the day. If you find you’re sluggish or often tired, you may need to sleep more.
