Quick facts about how much sleep you need:
For the average adult, you go through about 4 to 6 sleep cycles a night. To go through these cycles, you’ll need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Sleep recommendations are based on public health recommendations, which means you could need more, or less, to feel restored.
Let your body sleep and wake without alarms for 10 to 14 days to find out how many hours you naturally need.
Be careful of overestimating sleep. Awake time in bed shouldn’t count towards your total hours.
Infants and children need their caregiver’s help to establish a healthy sleep schedule. Kids will also benefit from a 30-minute wind down routine before bed.
We’ve all experienced the benefits of good sleep before. You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, relaxed, and restored? Now think back to how much sleep that was — was it six hours of sleep or seven or eight? There is no single “right” answer because it varies from person to person. Age, environmental factors, daily sleep habits, and individual needs, from activity level to overall health, can all impact how many hours of sleep you need.
Keep reading for experts’ top tips to help you obtain an optimal amount of quality sleep. Hint: It starts with not obsessing over getting the recommended “normal” number of hours.
The average amount of sleep needed by adults and kids
Before we dive into tips, it’s good to start with a baseline. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults between 25 and 64 years of age need an average of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Adults 65 and older need 7 to 8 hours per night. This is based on public health recommendations, but internal and external factors may change the number of hours you need.
Kids in particular need the most sleep, to promote growth and development. The amount of sleep needed varies, depending on their age, family schedules, and individual temperament.
See our chart below for how much sleep you might need by age:
Age range Recommended hours of sleep per day* Ideal bedtime
Newborn 0-3 months 14 to 17 N/A
Infant 4-11 months 12 to 15 6 – 7 p.m.
Toddler 1-2 years 11 to 14 7 – 7:30 p.m.
Preschool 3-5 years 10 to 13 7 – 8 p.m.
School-age 6-13 years 9 to 11 8 – 9:30 p.m.
Teen 14-17 years 8 to 10 9 – 10:30 p.m.
Young adult 18-25 years 7 to 9 8 – 12 p.m.
Adult 26-64 years 7 to 9 8 – 12 p.m.
Older adult 65 years and up 7 to 8 8 – 12 p.m.
*Per National Sleep Foundation guidelines
While determining your bedtime, consider sleep hygiene rules such as:
Limiting screentime 1 hour before bed
Avoiding caffeine 6 to 8 hours before bed
Having a 30-minute bedtime routine to fully wind down and relax
