Study shows each person's need for sleep according to age

How are your nights sleep? Are you the kind who sleeps well and wakes up willing or always have the feeling that you should have slept for a few more hours? How many hours does anyone need sleep after all to have a productive day?

We are used to hearing that the ideal is for a person to sleep eight hours a night, isn't it? But is this a valid average time for both teens and adults? And elderly, should sleep how long? The truth is that each age group has their need for rest.

The Fast Company reported the result of a large survey by the National Sleep Foundation, a research center focused solely on sleep issues. In all, 18 scientists and researchers evaluated the results of more than 300 studies already done at the institution with the intention of finding out the ideal sleep time for people of different ages.

You probably need more sleep than you think

This is the first time an organization has developed this specific sleep study based on the needs of each age group. Those who need the most hours of sleep are newborns up to three months old, who should sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day.

Adults between 26 and 64 years old should sleep seven to nine hours a day to avoid excessive tiredness and some sleep deprivation-related illnesses such as anxiety, depression, type 2 diabetes and even some cancers. Here are the age-specific sleep-hour recommendations:

  • Newborns up to three months old: should sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day;
  • Babies 4-11 months old: should sleep 12-15 hours a day;
  • Babies one to two years old: need to sleep 11 to 14 hours a day;
  • Children aged three to five: The recommendation is to sleep 10 to 13 hours a day.
  • Children 6 to 13 years old: should sleep 9 to 11 hours a day;
  • 14-17 year olds: need 8-10 hours of sleep a day;
  • 18-25 year olds: Ideally, they sleep between seven and nine hours a day;
  • Adults from 26 to 64 years old: should also sleep between seven and nine hours a day;
  • Seniors over 65: need seven to eight hours of sleep a day.

So have you been getting enough sleep? Tell us in the comments!