How Much Sleep Do People Typically Need?

Getting enough high-quality sleep is a vital step towards living a healthy life. Your sleep quality impacts your cognitive function, mental health and well-being, and immune system.

A lack of quality sleep has short- and long-term effects on the brain and body. Individuals who do not sleep enough are at a higher risk of stroke, mental illness, heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions that lead to early death.

If you are struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, talking with a doctor and conducting your own research using reputable sources can help you find solutions and improve your health.

How Much Sleep Does a Person Need on Average?

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.

While some people may be genetically inclined to sleep less or more, it’s important to aim for 7 to 9 hours to maintain a healthy life.

How Much of Each Sleep Stage Do You Need on Average?

Your brain and body move through different stages during sleep, cycling between REM and non-REM sleep every 80 to 100 minutes throughout the night.

Non-REM sleep is made up of three stages:

• Stage 1: You lay down, close your eyes, and slowly begin transitioning from being awake to being asleep.
• Stage 2: You are officially asleep.
• Stage 3: Deep sleep, also known as slow wave sleep, is an important stage that focuses on the restoration of your body and immune system.

REM (rapid eye movement) is named after the sharp increase in eye movement and brain activity that occurs during this type of sleep. REM sleep is important for memory and emotional well-being.

To see the benefits of sleep for your physical and mental health, it’s important to spend 25% of your sleep time in the deepest non-REM sleep and 25% in REM sleep.

How Much Sleep Do You Need on Average by Age?

The amount of sleep a person needs changes as they age. As your body grows and your brain develops, everything changes, including sleep schedules.

• Newborn to 4 months: In the first months of life, different babies have widely different sleep needs.
• 4 months to 1 year: Babies begin to settle into a more regular sleep schedule, with the average baby under 1 sleeping 12 to 16 hours per day.
• 1 to 2 years: As babies develop into toddlers, they begin to sleep less, a trend that will continue throughout their lives. This age group needs an average of 11 to 14 hours of sleep per day.
• 3 to 5 years: Children ages 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours of sleep. This may include a combination of night sleep and napping during the day.
• 6 to 12 years: As children move through elementary school and toward puberty, their bodies continue to need more sleep than adults, averaging between nine and 12 hours a day.
• 13 to 18 years: While teenagers grow to be the size of adults, they are still moving through a key period of development that requires a bit more sleep, eight to 10 hours.
• Adults: As previously stated, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
• Older adults: As adults age, the need for seven to nine hours of sleep remains, but sleeping patterns may change. Older adults may experience lighter sleep and wake earlier in the morning, requiring naps to ensure they sleep for the recommended time.

Understanding these changing needs can help you to take better care of yourself and your children as time passes.

How Much Sleep Do You Need While Pregnant?

For a task as large as growing a fetus, it is easy to understand that sleep is vital.

Hormones associated with pregnancy have a direct impact on sleep patterns and quality. Progesterone causes pregnant people to be sleepy during the day, but experience more fragmented sleep at night. Oxytocin, the hormone responsible for uterine contractions, increases at night and interrupts sleep.

Pregnant people need the same amount of sleep as other adults, seven to nine hours, and this sleep is associated with better health outcomes. However, pregnant people are faced with unique challenges that can limit their sleep at a time when they need it more than ever.

How Much Sleep Do You Need While Sick?

When the human body fights an infection, one of the more powerful methods of immune response is a fever. However, fevers require large amounts of energy.

Scientists hypothesize that one reason for increased fatigue and sleepiness during illness is the reduction in energy output. Sleeping more helps the body fight the disease and move through a fever with less long-term consequences.

Sleep is also vital for the repair of damaged tissues and cells that may be experienced during illness and injury.

How Much Sleep Do You Need To Lose Weight?

Reduced sleep is a contributing factor to weight gain and obesity. In fact, one study showed that participants who slept five-and-a-half hours per day lost 55% less body fat than participants who slept eight-and-a-half hours per day.

If you are trying to improve your health by losing weight, then going to sleep and waking up at regular times each day may help you towards your goals.

How Much Sleep Do You Need To Gain Muscle?

If you’re working hard in the gym to build muscle, but you aren’t sleeping well at night, then you are hindering your own physical progress. Chronic sleep loss is connected to a loss of muscle tissue and function.

If you are trying to gain muscle, prioritize building a regular sleep schedule and limiting caffeine intake in the hours before bedtime.

What Is Healthy Sleep?

Healthy sleep is seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep. Healthy sleep leads to you waking up:

• Feeling well-rested and in a good mood;
• Thinking clearly and able to pay attention;
• Feeling energized and ready to start your day.

When sleep is uninterrupted, it allows the body to undergo the non-REM and REM phases that are necessary for cell restoration and memory development.

What Factors May Affect the Quality of Your Sleep?

Many factors may affect the quality of your sleep, including:

• Alcohol and drug use: Drug use can have a serious effect on sleep, with different drugs impacting different stages of the sleep cycle. Alcohol can also impact sleep, causing people to wake up in the middle of the night and compromising the REM stage of sleep.
• Sleep disorders: Sleep disorders can impact your ability to safely sleep through the night. For example, sleep apnea causes your breath to stop and start throughout the night and may require medical equipment, surgery, or muscle therapy to treat.
• Mental health disorders: Depression and anxiety can have a strong impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep. According to Johns Hopkins Hospital, 75% of people with depression report struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Working with medical professionals and researching to learn more about sleep are important steps to facing these issues and repairing your sleep schedule to live a healthier life.

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.