Gina Johnson
Sleep is a mystery, despite being critical for our health. The amount of sleep we need changes throughout our lives, with babies and children needing more sleep than adults. Most healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, but this can vary from person to person.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Average amount of sleep for healthy adults | 7 hours |
| Amount of sleep for adults aged 26-64 | 7-9 hours |
| Amount of sleep for adults aged 65+ | Less than 7-9 hours |
| Amount of sleep for young adults aged 16-25 | More than 7-9 hours |
| Amount of sleep for babies | 14-17 hours |
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What You'll Learn
The amount of sleep you need changes throughout your life
Sleep is still a mystery, despite how critical it is for our health. "The reasons aren't entirely clear, but it's an essential thing that we all do," said Dr Rafael Pelayo, a sleep specialist at Stanford University. Pelayo also said that it's important to think about the quality of sleep: "What you really want to do is wake up feeling refreshed — that's what it's about."
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Sleep quality is important
Good sleep is essential for maintaining your baseline mental health. One night of sleep deprivation can dramatically affect your mood the next day. Chronic exposure to poor sleep quality is associated with depression, anxiety, and other conditions. There are also bidirectional associations, meaning that experiencing anxiety and depression often affects sleep, which then impacts your ability to cope with the anxiety and depression.
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic (long-term) health problems. It can also affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
In young children, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can be associated with difficult behaviours, a lower capacity to learn and retain information, and a propensity for poor eating patterns and weight gain.
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Sleep is critical for health
The quality of sleep is also important. Sleep specialist Dr Rafael Pelayo said: "What you really want to do is wake up feeling refreshed — that's what it's about." "If somebody tells me that they sleep many hours but they wake up tired, something is wrong, he added. "You shouldn't leave your favourite restaurant feeling hungry."
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Sleep is a mystery
However, these are general recommendations and not strict rules. Some people need less than seven hours, while others might need more. The major reason for individual differences is that we often look at sleep the wrong way. According to sleep specialist Dr. Rafael Pelayo, what you really want to do is wake up feeling refreshed. If you sleep many hours but still wake up tired, something is wrong. The quality of sleep is important, and it's crucial to listen to your body when it's telling you that you need more sleep.
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Individual differences in sleep requirements
The amount of sleep a person needs varies from individual to individual. While the general recommendation for healthy adults is seven to nine hours of sleep, some people may need less than seven hours, while others might need more. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults between 26 and 64 years of age get seven to nine hours of sleep. However, people who are 65 and older can function with slightly less sleep, and young adults between 16 and 25 years of age can get slightly more. The amount of sleep we need also changes throughout our lives, with newborns requiring the most sleep, somewhere between 14 and 17 hours.
It is important to consider the quality of sleep when determining how much sleep one needs. According to sleep specialist Dr. Rafael Pelayo, the goal is to "wake up feeling refreshed". If someone sleeps for many hours but still wakes up feeling tired, it indicates that something is wrong. Our bodies will signal when we need more sleep, and it is important to listen to these cues.
While the exact reasons for individual differences in sleep requirements are not fully understood, sleep is critical for our health and well-being. It is a natural form of self-care that allows our bodies and minds to rest and recover. Therefore, it is important to prioritize sleep and ensure we are getting the amount and quality of sleep that our bodies need.
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Frequently asked questions
The amount of sleep you need depends on your age. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults between 26 and 64 get between seven to nine hours of sleep. People who are 65 and older can get slightly less, and young adults between ages 16 and 25 can get slightly more.
Yes, according to sleep specialist Pelayo, "What you really want to do is wake up feeling refreshed — that's what it's about."
Not getting enough sleep can lead to health problems.
Oversleeping can also lead to health problems.
The average healthy adult sleeps for seven hours.
