Hours of Sleep By Age

Do you feel tired all day long? It is possible that you are not sleeping enough. Read through this article to know the hours of sleep by age.

How many hours of sleep you must have as per your age?

Our seep requirements change with age. For proper functioning of our body and mind, you need to get a sufficient amount of sleep. The hours of sleep by age are:

Newborn babies: 14 to 17 hours
Kids: 9 to 12 hours
Young adults: 7 to 9 hours
Adults: 7 to 9 hours
Older adults: 7 to 8 hours

How does aging affect sleeping habits?

Eating healthy and exercising regularly is not enough to live a healthy lifestyle. Along with that you also need a good amount of sleep to keep your mind and body functioning properly.

But due to our jam-packed schedule, most of us are unable to get the right amount of sleep we need. You may not realize this now, but this can causes serious health issues in the long run.

No matter, what you do or how busy you are, you should always take out time to sleep. As you may already know our sleeping habits change with age. In this section, we will talk about hours of sleep by age in detail.

Most adults experience sleeping issues as they age. That’s because our sleeping habits change as we grow older. By sleeping habits, we mean the duration and quality of sleep.

Many of these changes take place because our body changed the internal clock. For those who were unaware, our brain has a master clock called the hypothalamus. It is composed of around 20,000 cells that form the SCN or Suprachiasmatic Nucleus.

The SCN is responsible for controlling our daily cycles, which is called the circadian rhythm. This is known to influence our daily cycles, like when our body releases certain hormones when we feel hungry, and even the time we feel sleepy. This cycle is extremely important for us as it helps us to function accordingly.

With age, our sleep cycle changes because of the effects of the aging SCN. Yes, as we grow older, our SCN grows old too. When the function of our SCN deteriorates, it can disrupt the circadian rhythms. This has a direct effect on our sleep.

For your knowledge, the SCN derives information from our eyes. One of the most important cues that helps maintain the circadian rhythms is light. According to studies, many older adults experience insufficient exposure to daylight. For people with Alzheimer’s diseases or the ones living in hospitals often experience restricted daylight exposure.

Other important factors that influence our sleeping habits include cortisol and melatonin. These two are important hormones that are produced by our body. As we grow older, our body releases less melatonin. Just so you know melatonin is normally released in response to darkness, which then helps people to sleep. This works in coordination with our body’s circadian rhythms.

Sleep Requirement For People By Age

Many of you want to know “how much sleep do you need as per your age?” We will be answering that in this section.

Newborns

Like us adults, infants or newborns don’t have an established circadian rhythm. It is established when they are 2 to 3 months old.

Babies are different from adults. They need at least 14 to 17 hours of sleep in a day. However, they sleep in phases lasting from 2.5 to 4 hours at a time. By the time, they turn 12 months, they will start sleeping more during the night. At this point, they have an established circadian rhythm and sleep more like adults. Before 12 months, babies tend to move during REM sleep.

You may like; What do babies dream about?

School-Age Kids

As far as, school-going kids are concerned, they don’t need as much sleep as infants. But trying to make a kid go to sleep can be difficult. At this age, they are more likely to resist going to bed at night. They will show such behavior despite being tired.

But as responsible parents, you need to make your child sleep. Or else, it will affect their health and also reduce their productivity in the day. School-aged children at least need 9 to 12 hours of sleep.

Teenagers

According to the National Sleep Foundation, our circadian rhythms changes after we hit puberty. This is why you will find most teenagers going to sleep after 11 pm and wake up later.

Teens or young adults need at least 7 to 9 hours of good sleep to be productive throughout the day. But sadly, most teens do not sleep for that many hours. They are either busy because of their studies or other activities. In most cases, teens don’t get enough sleep during the weekdays. This is why they tend to sleep more on the weekends or during holidays.

Adults

Coming to adults, the majority of them tend to sleep less because of various reasons. This can cause a lot of issues in their health including drowsy feeling, reduced emotional control, poor cognitive ability, and poor impulse control. It can even lead to skin issues like acne.

Adults are supposed to sleep at least for 7 to 9 hours. This will help them maintain a good mood and also be productive during the day.

Older Seniors

Adults above the age of 65 usually nap during the day. That’s because most of them don’t get quality sleep at night. One of the main reasons behind poor sleep quality could be medical conditions.

According to the National Institutes of Health, at least 10-35% of older seniors have restless leg syndrome or RLS. This results in uncomfortable sensations, which in return interrupts their sleep. Many old people also suffer from other illnesses which can disturb their sleeping habits. At the age of 65 and above, they also experience changes in their sleeping pattern. In other words, they spend more time in the lighter sleep phases. Older seniors should sleep at least sleep for 7 to 8 hours daily.

Importance of Sleep

Sleep is important for various reasons. This is the time when your body and brain get rest. It is during this time that your brain rewires and prepares you for the next day.

Lack of sleep can result in various health issues. Not just that, but it can make you feel tired and reduce productivity during the day. This is why getting sufficient sleep is very important for people of all ages.

The importance of sleep can be summed up in the following pointers:

Reduced sleeping hours can lead to unnecessary weight gain. This can affect both adults and kids.
When you sleep well, you tend to eat fewer calories in the day. But sleep-deprived people, have a bigger appetite.
Getting the right amount of sleep can help improve your productivity. Along with that it also increases your concentration power.
Good sleeping habits can also make you a better athlete by maximizing your athletic performance.
By getting the right amount of sleep as per your age, you can reduce the risk of stroke and heart diseases.
Poor sleeping habits can lead to depression and anxiety disorders.

Getting the right amount of sleep as per your age is very crucial for your health. It helps you to lead a healthy lifestyle and also improves your mood and productivity. From kids to adults to seniors, everyone needs a sufficient amount of sleep to function properly.