How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Need?

Growing up, you may have heard you need 8 solid hours of sleep per night to feel healthy and rested. While this isn’t the worst guideline to follow, it’s not entirely accurate. Not everyone will need 8 hours of sleep—some need more and some need lessIHow many hours of sleep a night you need depends on a variety of factors such as age and sleep condition.

If you’re looking to start your journey to better sleep, make sure to take a sleep quiz with Sleep Reset today.

Dr. Samantha Domingo, Clinical Health Psychologist:

“The average adult needs 7–9 hours of sleep, but optimal sleep depends on both quantity and sleep quality.”

An Overview of Average Hours of Sleep

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.

Hours of Sleep and Age: 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—a newborn needs between 14 and 17 hours of sleep, whereas an adult needs much less. 

Average hours of sleep needed, by age, are as follows:

• Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
• Infant (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
• Toddlers (1-2 years old): 11-14 hours
• Preschoolers (3-5 years old): 10-13 hours
• School age (6-13 years old): 9-11 hours
• Teen (14-17 years old): 8-10 hours
• Young adult and adult (18-64 years old): 7-9 hours
• Older adult (65 years old and up): 7-8 hours

Once you’ve determined your sleep needs based on age, you can look at any lifestyle factors that may affect your need for sleep. From there, you can build a healthy sleep schedule and good sleep hygiene habits that will help you always stay well rested and energized.

Sleep Statistics: How Many Hours of Sleep Are Our Users Getting?

The first step to improving your sleep is tracking it, so Sleep Reset has a large sample of sleep statistics from real users. Find some real data based on how many hours of sleep Sleep Reset users are getting.

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 a growing sleep debt 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 Affect 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

Dr. Michael Grandner, Sleep Expert:

“Cultural norms often undervalue sleep, but chronic under-sleeping can erode physical and cognitive performance over time.”

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:

• 85 minutes increase in total sleep time per night
• 53% less time needed to fall asleep
• 44% less time spent awake in the middle of the night
• 52% less awakeningsin the night

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

Take Our Sleep Quiz!

Our program starts with a quick sleep quiz 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 quiz today to start on your journey toward better sleep!

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