Sleep Hours

Sleep hours needed every night are relatively consistent among the general population, but vary during different times of our lives. Depending on our age, our health, and our daytime habits, we may need a few more or less hours of natural sleep per night during our lifetime. Yet, all experts agree that getting enough sleep – and enough good quality sleep – is absolutely necessary for our health and well-being.

Researchers have determined more or less the number of sleep hours recommended for different stages of our life. Infants, for example, benefit from 11 to 18 hours of sleep, including nighttime hours and naps. Toddlers and young children need to fall asleep earlier and get from 10 to 15 sleep hours, and older children need from 9 to 11 sleep hours per night.

Teenagers drop down to 8 ½ to 9 ½  hours, but are frequently tired during the day, because their natural circadian rhythm shifts towards falling asleep later at night and sleeping later in the morning. This is because their brains produce the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate sleep, later at night. Unfortunately, typical school hours disregard this biological need. Therefore, teens typically don't receive the amount of sleep they need, and may feel sleepy or fall asleep during the day.

Adults get the most sleep benefits by sleeping between 7 and 8 hours per night. Some individuals may find they need more or less sleep hours than others, but generally, differences between individuals are slight. Older adults still need the same number of sleep hours, but may find that they sleep lighter or awaken more often during the night than when they were younger, and may feel better when incorporating naps into their day.

These sleep hours vary, of course, during times of illness, excessive emotional or physical stress, or pregnancy. Also, after an extended period of lack of sleep, more sleep may be needed to make up the "sleep deficit." However, it is best for adults not to make a habit of sleeping more than 8 hours, as studies have linked oversleeping to depression and even higher mortality rates.

Of course, it has been well documented that not getting enough sleep hours per night is detrimental to health. Researchers have studied adults who receive less than 7 sleep hours per night and report lower performance on mental or physical tasks than those who receive 7 to 8 sleep hours. One study in particular, showed that individuals with sleep deprivation exhibited similar driving mistakes as drunk drivers.

Not only are we drowsy when we haven't slept enough, but we are less alert, less able to think clearly or to concentrate. We find learning, remembering and making decisions more difficult. We may be more irritable and prone to emotional outbursts. Our reaction time slows and we may be clumsy. Furthermore, inadequate amounts of sleep also suppress the immune system, making us more susceptible to colds and illness. It also affects our hormonal balance and our metabolism. And scientists have shown links between insomnia and cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.

Obtaining just the right amount of sleep, on the other hand, replenishes our energy, repairs our muscles, lifts our mood, improves our cognitive and motor skills, and supports a healthy immune system. Getting a good night's sleep is vital to so many restorative processes in the body and the brain that it is important to get the best sleep possible – and the right amount of sleep hours – in order to enhance your health and feel your very best.