By now you should know that there is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get ‘run on’ versus the amount you need in order to function at your best. It is said and believed that the average adult sleeps for less than seven hours per night and in today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good but, in reality though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation. Just because it’s possible to operate on six or seven hours of sleep that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.

Sleep requirements will vary from person to person. A large number of healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for optimal function while children and teens may require even more. Despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, older people still need at least 7 hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, they can make-do on some prime daytime naps to fill the gap.

Average Sleep Needs by Age

Age Hours Needed May be appropriate

Newborn to 3 months old 14 – 17 hrs 11 – 19 hrs

4 to 11 months old 12 – 15 hrs 10 – 18 hrs

1 to 2 years old 11 – 14 hrs 9 – 16 hrs

3 to 5 years old 10 – 13 hrs 8 – 14 hrs

6 to 13 years old 9 – 11 hrs 7 – 12 hrs

14 to 17 years old 8 – 10 hrs 7 – 11 hrs

Young adults (18 to 25 years old) 7 – 9 hrs 6 – 11 hrs

Adults (26 to 64 years old) 7 – 9 hrs 6 – 10 hrs

Older adults (65+) 7 – 8 hrs 5 – 9 hrs

Source: National Sleep Foundation