SLEEP:Average Sleep Needs by Age.

There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation.

Check out the Average Sleep Needs by Age

Newborn to 3 months old

14 - 17 hrs

11 - 19 hrs

4 to 11 months old

12 - 15 hrs

10 - 18 hrs

1 to 2 years old

11 - 14 hrs

9 - 16 hrs

3 to 5 years old

10 - 13 hrs

8 - 14 hrs

6 to 13 years old

9 - 11 hrs

7 - 12 hrs

14 to 17 years old

8 - 10 hrs

7 - 11 hrs

Young adults (18 to 25 years old)

7 - 9 hrs6 - 11 hrs

Adults (26 to 64 years old)

7 - 9 hrs6 - 10 hrs

Older adults (65+)
7 - 8 hrs5 - 9 hrs

Source: National Sleep Foundation

Just because you're able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn't mean you wouldn't feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.

While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least 7 hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.

The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep
It's not just the number of hours you spend asleep that's important—it's the quality of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep.


Each stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, deep sleep (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting REM sleep are particularly important. You can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when REM sleep stages are longer.