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;
- - Newborn babies need 14-17 hours a day
- - Infants aged 4-11 months need 12-15 hours a day
- - Toddlers (1-2 years) need 11-14 hours per day
- - Pre-schoolers (2-5 years) need 10-13 hours a day
- - School age children (6-13 years) need 9-11 hours a day
- - Teenagers need more sleep than adults - about 8 -10 hours per day
- - Older people (65+) need 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;
- - Heart disease
- - Kidney disease
- - High blood pressure
- - Diabetes
- - Stroke
- - Obesity
- - Depression
- - Immunodeficiency
- - Lower sex drive
By using a sleep tracker, you can build up a clearer picture of your overall sleep patterns and learn healthier sleep habits.
Find out if you’re getting enough sleep - use our Simba Sleep app
