How many hours of sleep you function well is different for everyone. Yet there are guidelines.
The National Sleep Foundation recently updated its guidelines for how many hours of sleep we need.
The new guidelines
Babies from 0 to 3 months:2 to 5 pm
Babies from 4 to 11 months:12 to 15 hours
Toddlers 1-2 years:11 to 14 hours
Toddlers 3 -5 years:10 am to 1 pm
Children 6-13 years:9 to 11 am
Teenagers 14-17 years:8 to 10 am
Young adults 18-25 years:7 to 9 hours
Adults 26 to 64 years:7 to 9 hours
65+:7 to 8 hours
What has changed?
For most categories, an hour of sleep has been added. For example, according to the guidelines, toddlers needed 12 to 14 hours of sleep and that has now been adjusted to 11 to 14 hours. Nothing has changed for adults up to and including 64 years of age. The 65+ category is new.
Very personal
It is impossible to determine how many hours of sleep is optimal for everyone. The times above are therefore only guidelines.
More information can be found on the website of The National Sleep Foundation.
