Sleep is the key indicator of well-being and good health. We spend up to 1/3 of our lives sleeping and the general condition of our sleep health is an essential question through our life. Getting plenty of rest each night is important to make your entire day more productive.
But how many hours of sleep do you actually need?
Researches cannot pinpoint an exact measure of sleep needed by individuals at different ages, but the chart of the National Sleep Foundation, which features maximum and minimum ranges for health as well as “recommended” windows, identifies the “rule-of-thumb” amounts specialists agree upon.
- Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours
- Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
- Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours
- Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours
- School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours
- Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours
- Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day
To open a new chapter where healthier lifestyle and healthier rest are a priority, start by assessing your individual needs.
Ask yourself: How does my body respond to the different amounts of sleep?; Am I experiencing sleep problems?; Do I depend on caffeine to get me through the day?; Do I feel sleepy when driving?; Am I productive after 7 hours of sleep?
If you are experiencing symptoms such as insomnia, sleepiness during the day, difficulty breathing during sleep, leg cramps, snoring, gasping or other symptoms that is preventing you from a good sleep, you should consult your primary care physician.
Above all, listen to your body and mind and make sleep a priority. You should plan sleeping like some other daily activity. So put it on your “daily agenda” and check it off each night.
