How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Need?

Growing up, many people have heard the same old adage – you need 8 solid hours of sleep per night. While this isn’t the worst guideline to follow, it’s not entirely accurate. Not everyone will need 8 hours of sleep per night. Some people may need more and some people can go with less. It depends on a variety of factors, especially age, sleep conditions, and more. In today’s blog, we’ll talk about how many hours of sleep you need per night and how you can find out how much is the right amount for you.

If you’re looking to start your journey to better sleep, make sure to take a sleep assessment with Sleep Reset today, and read on to learn more about sleep schedules.

A Brief Overview

Have you ever slept for a full eight hours and still felt groggy in the morning? Or do you struggle to sleep more than 6 or 7 hours per night, but you don’t feel tired or low energy as a result? Sleep isn’t a static part of our life – our sleep needs will change as we get older. While keeping track of how much sleep you get every night may not be preferable for most people, it’s generally a good idea to figure out how much sleep you need each night so you can stick to some kind of schedule.

Losing out on sleep and feeling sleep deprived nearly every day can have long-term repercussions for your physical and mental health. It can affect weight gain, your mood, your focus, and so much more. 

If you’ve never focused on your sleep schedule before, you might wonder how much sleep you need to be getting each night. The best way to find out is to stick to a schedule and see what works best for you, making adjustments as necessary. In this blog, we’ll talk about how sleep needs differ, the factors that affect your sleep, the consequences of not getting enough sleep, and more.

Everyone’s Sleep Need Is Different

Some people have different sleep needs compared to others, but there’s no question that getting enough sleep is essential. Finding out how much sleep you need can sometimes be the difficult part. A good place to start is your general age recommendations. From there, you can start looking at your lifestyle and other factors that may affect your need for more or less sleep throughout the night. Once you’ve determined your sleep needs, you can build a healthy sleep schedule and good sleep hygiene habits that will help you always stay well rested and energized.

Let’s start by looking at the hours of sleep per day by age group.

What Do the Stats Say?

By far, one of the biggest factors that affect your need for sleep is your age group. We start with needing a lot of sleep every day when we’re babies. Newborns usually need around 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day. As we get older, that need begins to wane, with infants needing about 12 to 15 hours, toddlers needing about 11 to 14, and preschoolers needing about 10 to 13 hours. Once we reach school age and our teenage years, we start to get closer to that typical eight hours per night advice, though younger kids may still need up to 10 or 11 hours. 

Here are some of the stats for hours that people sleep each night, based on our studies:

5 Hours or Less

According to a sleep study conducted by Sleep Reset, 45% of trial participants were getting 5 hours or less of sleep per night. For most age groups and lifestyles, 5 hours of sleep isn’t enough. Most age groups need at least 7 hours of sleep per night. If you’re getting 5 hours or less, you may be sleep deprived.

6 Hours

Our study revealed that 29% of trial participants were getting 6 hours of sleep per night. Generally, this still isn’t enough sleep. Continually getting 6 hours of sleep per night can lead to sleep deprivation and the consequences that come with it.

7 Hours

According to our trial, 17% of participants were getting 7 hours of sleep per night. For some people, 7 hours of sleep is a healthy amount. Generally, once we reach adult age – 18 years of age or older – we can sleep 7 hours per night and feel energized. However, this won’t be the case for all adults. Factors like activity level, health, and sleep disorders may also play a part in the amount of sleep you need.

8 Hours or More

In our trial, 9% of participants slept for 8 hours or more. For most adults, anywhere between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night is ideal. However, there is a point where you can sleep too much, known as oversleeping. Consistently sleeping for more than 9 hours per night, as an adult, may lead to some of the side effects you get from oversleeping.

Factors That Impact The Amount of Sleep Adults Require

Basing your sleep needs on your age group is a good general way to gauge your sleep needs, but it’s important to note that sleep needs can vary greatly based on several factors. You should make sure to consider your own individual circumstances and adjust your sleep schedule accordingly. Here are some of the factors that may affect the amount of sleep you need:

• Your health - Are you considered generally healthy? If you have no conditions or underlying disorders, your sleep needs may differ from a healthy individual.
• Your activity level - If you have a job that is very physical or if you use a lot of energy throughout the day, you may need more sleep than someone who is sedentary.
• Your working hours - If you work irregular hours, it may be difficult to keep your circadian rhythm on track and stick to a regular sleep schedule
• Sleep disorders – Sleep disorders can affect the quality of sleep you get, so even if you get seven hours of sleep, you may not be getting the full benefits.
• Genetics - Your genetics can affect how much sleep you need to feel rested in the morning.

What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Rest

The consequences of missing out on sleep are numerous. When you’re not able to get the sleep you need, your mental and physical health may suffer. While it’s ok to miss out on a good night’s sleep every now and then, the problems arise when you’re continually sleep deprived. Here are some examples of what can happen when you suffer from sleep deprivation on an ongoing basis:

Effects on your short-term physical health:

• Headaches
• Drowsiness throughout the day
• Eye circles
• Ability to perform physical labor
• Ability to react quickly

Effects on your long-term physical health:

• Metabolism - lack of sleep can affect your metabolism, causing weight gain and affecting your appetite
• Immunity - lack of sleep can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick
• Increased cortisol levels - lack of sleep can increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health concerns
• Physical attributes - Lack of sleep can hasten signs of aging, like wrinkles and fine lines

Effects on your short-term mental health:

• Increased stress
• Difficulty managing emotions
• Feeling irritable
• Difficulty paying attention
• Losing focus
• Trouble retaining memories
• Trouble staying alert
• Trouble with impulse control

Effects on long-term mental health:

• Increased risk for mental health conditions - A lack of sleep can increase your risk for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADD, and more. Also, if you already are diagnosed with a mental health condition, lack of sleep can worsen symptoms or make them more difficult to manage

Is Oversleeping Bad for You?

Yes, oversleeping can lead to many of the same consequences as sleep deprivation. Generally, oversleeping is when you sleep more than 9 hours per night. While some people may need to sleep more because of unique circumstances, you usually don’t want to sleep more than 9 hours per night. Oversleeping can increase your risk for chronic health conditions, especially in older adults. 

Remember, this guideline doesn't necessarily apply to children. It’s totally normal for a child in grade school to need up to 11 hours of sleep per night. Even teenagers sometimes need up to 10 hours. However, if you’re over the age of 18, you should be trying to stick closer to the 7 to 9 hours of sleep rule.

Real Results From Our Members

If you’re needing to get the right amount of sleep each night, Sleep Reset can help. Using our sleep program, our members were able to get real results, sleeping more soundly, falling asleep faster, and waking up feeling refreshed after getting the right amount of sleep. Here are some of the benefits as reported by our members:

• 88 minutes increase in total sleep time per night
• 52% less time needed to fall asleep
• 48% less time spent awake in the middle of the night
• 3 fewer middle-of-the-night awakenings per night

If you’re looking to get the best sleep of your life, choose Sleep Reset!

Take Our Sleep Assessment!

Our program starts with a quick sleep assessment to determine your sleep needs. With Sleep Reset, you’ll get a personalized sleep program and a dedicated sleep coach to help you take control of your sleep schedule. Take our sleep assessment today to start on your journey toward better sleep!

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