How much sleep do you need? Recommendations by age
Expert sleep recommendations for every age, from newborns to adults over 65, and what to do if you regularly fall short.
“Eight hours” is the number everyone knows, but sleep needs change a lot across a lifetime. Expert panels have looked at the research for each age group and published ranges rather than a single number, because people genuinely differ.
The recommended ranges
These are the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations, which line up closely with those from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
| Age | Recommended sleep per 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Newborns (0 to 3 months) | 14 to 17 hours |
| Infants (4 to 11 months) | 12 to 15 hours |
| Toddlers (1 to 2 years) | 11 to 14 hours |
| Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) | 10 to 13 hours |
| School-age children (6 to 13 years) | 9 to 11 hours |
| Teenagers (14 to 17 years) | 8 to 10 hours |
| Young adults (18 to 25 years) | 7 to 9 hours |
| Adults (26 to 64 years) | 7 to 9 hours |
| Older adults (65 and over) | 7 to 8 hours |
For adults, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society put it simply: get at least 7 hours a night on a regular basis.
Why a range and not a number
Some people genuinely feel their best on 7 hours, others need 9. The ranges cover what most healthy people need. A small number of people sit just outside them, but it’s rare to need much less than the bottom of the range, and “I’m fine on 5 hours” is usually a sign of someone who has forgotten what being rested feels like.
A practical test: on a week of holiday with no alarm, after the first few days of catching up, how long do you sleep? That’s close to your natural need.
What happens when you fall short
Regularly sleeping less than the recommended amount is linked with weight gain, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression and a higher risk of accidents. In the short term, it slows reaction times and weakens attention and memory, often in ways people don’t notice in themselves.
Sleep debt also adds up. Two short nights followed by one long one doesn’t fully reset you, which is why a steady schedule matters more than weekend lie-ins.
Getting more sleep in practice
- Fix the wake time first. Pick a wake time you can keep every day, including weekends, then count back to a bedtime.
- Time your bedtime to your cycles. The sleep calculator finds bedtimes that let you wake between sleep cycles, which makes the alarm easier to face.
- Protect the last hour. Dim lights, put screens away and keep the bedroom cool.
- Watch caffeine timing. Caffeine can cut into your sleep even when taken in the afternoon. More in when to have your last coffee.
If you’re consistently getting enough hours but still feel exhausted, or you snore loudly, talk to a doctor. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are common and treatable.
Sources
- Hirshkowitz M, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43.
- Watson NF, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep. 2015;38(6):843-844.
- Paruthi S, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2016;12(6):785-786.
This article is general information, not medical advice. See our medical disclaimer, and talk to a doctor about your own health.
Try the sleep calculatorPlan a bedtime that gives you enough full sleep cycles.