How much sleep do you need?

Tuesday, 9 March 2021, 3:07AM

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The day starts the right way after a good night's sleep. And there are some pretty good reasons to make sure you get the sleep you need.

Why is sleep important?

A good sleep can lift your concentration, mood, and could reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.^ Sleep deprivation was linked to more than 3,000 deaths in 2016–17, almost 400 of those from vehicle or industrial accidents, according to the Sleep Health Foundation.*

Poor sleep impacts your mental health and leads to worse decisions as the following image shows.

how much sleep do you need.png

Source: healthiersleepmag.com

How much sleep do we need?

Science's answer to this comes from the Journal of the National Sleep Foundation sleep time recommendations out of the US.

Age	Recommended	May be Appropriate	Not Recommended
Newborns 0-3 months	14 to 17 hours	11 to 13 hours	Less than 11 hours
Newborns 0-3 months	14 to 17 hours	18 to 19 hours	More than 19 hours
Infants 4-11 months	12 to 15 hours	10 to 11 hours	Less than 10 hours
Infants 4-11 months	12 to 15 hours	16 to 18 hours	More than 18 hours
Toddlers 1-2 years	11 to 14 hours	9 to 10 hours	Less than 9 hours
Toddlers 1-2 years	11 to 14 hours	15 to 16 hours	More than 16 hours
Preschoolers 3-5 years	10 to 13 hours	8 to 9 hours	Less than 8 hours
Preschoolers 3-5 years	10 to 13 hours	14 hours	More than 14 hours
School-aged Children 6-13 years	9 to 11 hours	7 to 8 hours	Less than 7 hours
School-aged Children 6-13 years	9 to 11 hours	12 hours	More than 12 hours
Teenagers 14-17 years	8 to 10 hours	7 hours	Less than 7 hours
Teenagers 14-17 years	8 to 10 hours	11 hours	More than 11 hours
Young Adults 18-25 years	7 to 9 hours	6 hours	Less than 6 hours
Young Adults 18-25 years	7 to 9 hours	10 to 11 hours	More than 11 hours
Adults 26-64 years	7 to 9 hours	6 hours	Less than 6 hours
Adults 26-64 years	7 to 9 hours	10 hours	More than 10 hours
Older Adults ≥ 65 years	7 to 8 hours	5-6 hours	Less than 5 hours
Older Adults ≥ 65 years	7 to 8 hours	9 hours	More than 9 hours

Source: sleephealthjournal.org

That is all you need to know. Get your recommended sleep and reap the benefits of a healthier life, fresher mental health, reduced stress and more motivation to exercise.

^ healthdirect.gov.au/sleep
* Sleep Health Foundation, Asleep on the Job, 2017

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