What is the Optimal amount of Sleep for us?

Sleep is necessary at any age, according to scientific evidence. Sleep revitalizes the intellect, repairs the body, and strengthens practically every bodily system. But, in order to get these benefits, how much sleep do we really need?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, healthy adults require between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Babies, young children, and teenagers require significantly more sleep in order to develop and grow. People above the age of 65 should obtain 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night as well.

The first step is to understand the general suggestions for how much sleep you require. Then, based on criteria such as your exercise level and overall health, it’s critical to consider your unique requirements. And finally, of course, it’s necessary to apply healthy sleep tips so that you can actually get the full night’s sleep that’s recommended.

Sleep recommendations are divided into nine age categories. The guidelines give a suggested range of nightly sleep duration for healthy people in each group. Based on a person’s circumstances, sleeping one hour more or less than the normal range may be acceptable in some scenarios.

What Is Your Sleep Requirement?

These recommendations serve as a general guideline for how much sleep children and adults require, while recognizing that the perfect amount of sleep varies from person to person. As a result, the rules specify a time range for each age group. The guidelines also admit that there is some wiggle room on either side of the range for “acceptable,” but still not optimal, sleep for some persons with special situations.

Consider your overall health, daily activities, and regular sleep habits when determining how much sleep you require. The following are some questions that can help you determine your specific sleep requirements:

• On seven hours of sleep, are you productive, healthy, and happy? Or have you found that getting into high gear necessitates longer sleep hours?
• Do you have any other health problems? Do you have a higher chance of contracting a disease?
• Do you expend a lot of energy on a daily basis? Do you participate in sports or work in a physically demanding job on a regular basis?
• Do your regular activities necessitate vigilance in order to be carried out safely? Do you drive and/or operate heavy machinery on a daily basis? When you’re performing these things, do you ever feel sleepy?
• Do you have a history of sleeping problems or are you experiencing them now?
• Do you rely on caffeinated beverages to get you through the day?
• Do you rely on caffeinated beverages to get you through the day?
• Do you sleep more than you do on a typical workday when you have an open schedule?
• Start with the suggestions above, and then use the answers to these questions to figure out how much sleep you need.

What Methods Were Used to Create the Recommendations?

An expert team of 18 professionals from various sectors of science and medicine was assembled to produce these recommended sleep periods. Hundreds of verified research studies on sleep duration and critical health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, depression, pain, and diabetes were reviewed by the panel’s members.

After reviewing the information, the panel narrowed the ranges for the quantity of sleep required at various ages through numerous rounds of voting and discussion. This process took almost nine months to complete in all.

Other organizations, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Sleep Research Society (SRS), have also released sleep recommendations for adults and children.

Make sleep a priority in your routine to begin. This entails planning ahead of time for the hours you’ll need so that work or social activities don’t take precedence over sleep. While it may be tempting to cut sleep short in the moment, it is not a good idea because sleep is necessary for mental and physical well-being. 

Sleep Hygiene.

Improving your sleep hygiene, which includes your bedroom setting and sleep-related activities, is a tried-and-true method of getting more rest. Improvements in sleep hygiene include the following:

1. Even on weekends, sticking to the same sleep routine every day.
2. Developing a soothing pre-bed routine could help you fall asleep faster.
3. Choosing the greatest mattress that is both supportive and comfy, as well as the best pillows and bedding to go with it.
4. Light and sound interruptions are minimized, and your bedroom’s temperature and scent are optimized.
5. Before going to bed, disconnect from electronic devices such as phones and laptops for at least a half-hour.
6. Caffeine and alcohol use should be carefully monitored, with the goal of avoiding them in the hours leading up to bedtime.
7. If you are a parent, many of the same suggestions apply to ensuring that your child or teen gets the necessary amount of sleep for their age group. Parents can use these pointers to aid their teenagers, who suffer a variety of sleep issues.

Getting more sleep is important, but don’t forget that it’s not just about the amount of sleep you get. It’s also important to get good sleep, and it’s possible to get the hours you need but not have a good night’s sleep.

Because your sleep is fragmented or non-restorative, you may not feel refreshed. Fortunately, increasing your sleep hygiene can help you get more and better sleep.

If you or a family member is experiencing symptoms such as excessive sleepiness during the day, chronic snoring, leg cramps or tingling, difficulty breathing during sleep, chronic insomnia, or another symptom that prevents you from sleeping well, you should speak with your primary care physician or seek the advice of a sleep professional to determine the underlying cause.