You’re probably getting less sleep than you should
Just because you might get by on six hours or less of sleep per night, it doesn’t mean that you should. Most likely, the amount of sleep you need in order to function optimally is higher than that, according to Help Guide.
The average adult sleeps less than seven hours a night, as the National Institues of Health reports. It might sound good, especially in today’s ever-rushing society, but it is not ideal. In fact, it is a perfect recipe for chronic sleep deprivation.
Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but it is safe to say that most healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to function at full capacity. Children and teenagers need more. The need for sleep decreases slowly with age. However, older people still need around 7 hours of sleep.
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If you want to know if you’re getting enough sleep, check out the table bellow:
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Average Sleep Needs by Age |
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| 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 | ||
Only a small amount of people, around 3%, possess a rare gene that enables them to function perfectly on only 6 hours of sleep, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
The rest of us should try to evaluate if their sleep needs are met. Start by evaluating how you feel as you go about your day. If your energy levels are high, you’re probably getting enough sleep. If not, it’s about time you make a change.
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