How much sleep do you actually need?

How much sleep do I need?

The average human spends one third of their lifetime asleep. Given that we spend so much of our lives in the land of nod, it makes sense to invest in the best bed we can buy. However, some of us struggle to get enough sleep, and some of us sleep too much. It also depends on the quality of sleep we get, including the importance of the different sleep cycles, including deep non-REM sleep. So, how much sleep do we actually need?

Most adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep
Some people can function on as little as 6 hours
Women in the first three months of pregnancy often need more sleep than usual

How much sleep do you need by age?

The amount of sleep changes throughout our lifetime;

Age group	Sleep Needed
Newborn babies	14-17 hours a day
Infants aged 4-11 months	12-15 hours a day
Toddlers (1-2 years)	11-14 hours per day
Pre-schoolers (2-5 years)	10-13 hours a day
School age children (6-13 years)	9-11 hours a day
Teenagers	More sleep than adults - about 8 -10 hours per day
Older people	7-8 hours per day

Signs you aren’t getting enough sleep

If you feel drowsy during mundane or routine tasks that don’t require much effort, you probably didn’t get enough sleep last night. Here are some further indications of a lack of sleep;

You’re more forgetful or find it harder to concentrate
Your eyes are bloodshot, you have dark circles or under eye bags
Your skin is more inclined to break out
You crave carbohydrates, sugar and junk foods
You experience more mood swings, feel low, or depressed
You’re drinking more caffeine based drinks
You put on weight more easily
You find it hard to get up in the mornings

If you wake up feeling stiff it might be time to get a new mattress.

What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?

The odd bad night is perfectly normal, however, consistent bad sleep can take a toll on overall health and wellbeing. Sleep deficiency has been linked to;