It’s common for most people to have some type of sleeping issue at different points in their lives. However, sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether you’re getting the right amount of sleep if you’re not aware of what the recommendations are.
Experts have carried out studies and discovered what the best quantity of sleep is for different age ranges. How much sleep everyone needs will depend on their age and a range of other life factors.
Therefore, it’s worth mentioning that these findings are simply recommendations. Some people may notice that they feel better sleeping for different amounts of time. Therefore, approach the details in this post as a way to give you a guideline on how much sleep you should be getting based on your age.
How Much Sleep Do You Need By Age?
Newborns & Infants Recommended Sleep Times
0-3 Months Old
Newborns who are between 0 and 3 months old should be getting 14-17 hours of sleep every day. This is the age group that needs the most sleep, however, newborn babies can usually sleep at different intervals throughout the day based on changing and feeding times.
It’s best to make sure that your newborn baby is getting no more than 19 hours and less than 11 hours of sleep per day.
4-11 Months Old
The necessary hours of sleep for 4-11-year-olds is 12-15 hours, which is slightly less than newborns. Making sure that your infant doesn’t sleep more than 18 hours and less than 10 hours a day is best for keeping them well-rested and healthy.
Once your child hits 6 months old, they usually don’t want to be fed during the night like they used to. Therefore, 4-11-month-old babies are more likely to sleep through more of the night in one stretch compared to intervals throughout the day like newborns. Although, they may still want to nap during the day for shorter periods of 30 minutes or so.
Toddlers & Young Children Recommended Sleep Times
1-2 Years Old
The best amount of hours for toddlers to sleep is 11-14 hours. They need less sleep than infants and newborns and should be getting no less than 9 hours and no more than 16 hours of sleep every day.
You may notice that your toddler starts to nap less and less as they reach 18 months. It’s a good idea to ensure that your toddler doesn’t nap too close to bedtime otherwise they may struggle to sleep through the night.
Read next: The Best Mattress For Toddlers Reviewed
3-5 Years Old
Young children who are between 3 and 5 years should be getting 10-13 hours of sleep every day. They need even less sleep than toddlers, as long as it’s not less than 8 hours but no more than 14 hours of sleep every day.
Often times, young children don’t need to nap when they’re around 5 years old. Therefore, they can sleep solidly for 10-13 hours every night. However, it’s also common for children in this age range to start experiencing more nightmares that can affect how much sleep they get.
Therefore, if they’ve had a night where they got less than 8 hours, it may be good to consider letting them nap at some point during the day for 20-30 minutes.
Children & Teenagers Recommended Sleep Times
6-13 Years Old
6-13-year-old children are recommended to sleep for 9-11 hours every night. Ideally, they shouldn’t be sleeping for more than 11 hours or less than 7 hours every day.
In this age range, children have more activities going on in their lives, such as after-school clubs, homework, and being with friends. Therefore, there’s more of a chance that they’ll be tired and ready to sleep on time at night.
Having said that, if your child has a cellphone, computer, or a TV in their bedroom, it’s likely that their quality of sleep will be disturbed. So, it could be a good idea to employ cut-off times for devices with screens an hour before bedtime to make sure that they get the recommended amount of sleep that they need every night.
14-17 Years Old
Teenagers who are 14-17 years old are recommended to get 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Ideally, they should avoid getting less than 7 hours and more than 11 hours every day.
When your child gets into high school, you may start to notice a difference in the times that they go to bed. It tends to be later, especially on the weekends. Therefore, it’s not too much of a big deal if their sleeping schedules vary a little.
The reason for more variances in their sleep schedules comes down to having more to do daily. They’ll be getting more schoolwork and are also interested in spending more time with friends which can mean pushing bedtime a little later.
What’s The Recommended Amount Of Sleep For Adults?
18-25 Years Old
Young adults in the age range of 18-25 years will need even less sleep than teenagers with 7-9 hours being recommended. The optimal amount of sleep for young adults to get is between 6 and 11 hours every day.
18-25-year-olds are among the most common of the age ranges to have sleeping issues due to college and long hours working. Not to mention, they have more social commitments and have a better opportunity to experience different things in their life.
Sleep for 18-25-year-olds can become harder, especially if they’re relying on caffeine to get them through the days of fewer hours of sleep. Too much caffeine keeps the body stimulated which can make it more difficult to sleep.
As long as young adults aren’t sleeping less than 6 hours every night too regularly, they may find their energy levels remain high to be able to still get everything done.
26-64 Years Old
As you get older, the body requires less sleep. Older people who are 65 years or over are recommended to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sometimes, they may only be able to sleep for 5 hours and other times they can sleep more than 8 hours every night.
Older adults need to make sleep a priority as it helps their body to restore and remain healthy. Elderly people are more prone to illnesses but getting plenty of rest can be a good way to reduce the chances of experiencing health issues.
Conclusion
If you start getting too much or too little sleep than what’s recommended, you may notice changes in your energy levels and ability to focus. Getting the right sleep requirements by age helps to prevent depression, fatigue, as well as illnesses as your body can properly restore itself to remain healthy.
Now that you know more about how many hours of sleep by age you should be getting, you can start getting yourself into a good sleep/wake cycle that you stick to every day.
