How Much Sleep Do You Need for Good Health?

How much sleep do you need for good health? According to the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, it depends primarily on your age. There are also external factors that can affect the amount of sleep a person needs including pregnancy, previous sleep deprivation and quality of sleep. Here are some general guidelines:

Age group Recommended amount of sleep
Infants 14 to 15 hours
Toddlers 12 to 14 hours
School-age children 10 to 11 hours
Adults 7 to 9 hours

Surprisingly while sleep patterns may change and naps might be required, as adults age the total amount of sleep required for good health is the same for young adults and the elderly.

“Although some people claim to feel rested on just a few hours of sleep a night, research shows that people who sleep so little over many nights don’t perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get closer to seven hours of sleep a night.”

It’s important to remember that the quality of sleep you get is just as important as the amount of sleep you get. If you’re having trouble getting a good nights rest we suggest you read our Tips for Achieving Restful Sleep. You can find additional useful information in this post.