Adults aged 18-60 years should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each day, a new report has revealed. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the daily recommended hours of sleep vary significantly across age groups.
How much one should sleep according to their age
Here are the CDC’s recommended sleep guidelines:
- Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Infants (4-12 months): 12-16 hours
- Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
- School-age children (6-12 years): 9-12 hours
- Teenagers (13-17 years): 8-10 hours
- Adults (18-60 years): 7 hours or more
- Older adults (61-64 years): 7-9 hours
- Adults 65 years and older: 7-8 hours
While age plays a significant role in determining sleep requirements, other factors can also impact the number of hours you need to rest for your body to function properly. These include:
- Sleep quality: Frequent interruptions can compromise sleep quality.
- Previous sleep deprivation: If you are sleep-deprived, your body demands more sleep to recover.
- Pregnancy: Hormonal changes and physical discomfort can lead to poor sleep quality during pregnancy.
- Ageing: As people get older, their sleep patterns change. Despite needing about the same amount of sleep as younger adults, older adults tend to sleep more lightly, take longer to fall asleep, and sleep for shorter periods. They also often wake up multiple times during the night.
Health benefits of sleep
- Sleep helps boost your immune system, which can help fight off infections and illnesses.
- Sleep affects hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, leading to weight gain or loss. Getting enough sleep can help maintain a healthy weight.
- Sleep helps to regulate emotions and reduce stress hormones, leading to improved mental well-being.
- Sleep plays a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and cardiovascular function.
- Lower your risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
- Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving. Getting enough sleep can help prevent accidents.
- Sleep improves cognitive function, including attention, memory and problem-solving skills.