The Hours of Sleep You Should be Getting at Your Age

Sleep’s Importance on the Body

Sleep loss can take a toll on your whole body, mentally and physically.

Our bodies, no matter how different they are wired, need to get a certain number of hours of sleep. Whether it be sleeping through the night, or a mere cat nap, your body asks you to insure that it gets the rest it needs. And when it doesn’t, your body speaks up!

The amount of sleep you’re getting can alter your: 

• brain and heart health
• emotions
• immune system
• productivity
• your weight

While you sleep, your body goes quiet but your brain stays busy– overseeing maintenance that keeps your body running and preparing you for the next day.

 

It’s important to recognize that the ideal number of hours your body needs to sleep ought to be interpreted as continuous sleep. Sleep fragmentation (interrupted sleep) interferes with the sleep restoration process, and this can lead to major mental and physical breakdown.

Ask Yourself These Sleep Questions

It’s important to examine whether or not you suffer from sleep deprivation, or any other sleep issues you may wonder about. Don’t hesitate to ask yourself what could be the cause(s).

People spend up to one-third of their lives asleep, which explains why sleep is a major indicator of our overall health and well-being. When your sleep is failing, it is a sign that something is amiss health-wise. Keeping track of your “sleep health” should remain a question for you to ask throughout your lifespan.

• Are you experiencing sleep problems?
• Do you feel sleepy when driving?
• Do you have any health issues such as being overweight?
• Are you at risk for any disease?
• Do you depend on coffee/caffeine to get you through the day?
• Are you happy, healthy and productive on several hours of sleep?
• Does it take you nine to ten hours of good rest to get you into high gear?

 

If you can answer yes to one or more of these questions, you may need to re-evaluate your sleeping situation and look for ways to help increase the number of hours you sleep without interruption, per night.

How Much Sleep YOU Should Get

The National Sleep Foundation shared the results of a world-class study, and updated the guidelines on how much sleep you really need at your age.

Eighteen leading researchers and scientists came together to form the National Sleep Foundation’s expert panel to come up with the recommended sleep times for your age. The panel included six sleep specialists and representatives from organizations such as the American Association of Anatomists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Chest Physicians and many more.

 

They participated in a tedious scientific process that included reviewing over 300 current scientific publications and voting on how much sleep is needed throughout the average lifespan.

The summary includes:

• Newborns (0-3 months): Narrowed to 14-17 hours every day
• Infants (4-11 months): Widened to 12-15 hours
• Toddlers (1-2 years): Widened to 11-14 hours
• Preschoolers (3-5): Widened to 10-13 hours
• School age children (6-13): Widened to 9-11 hours
• Teenagers (14-17): Widened to 8-10 hours
• Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
• Adults (26-64): Remains at 7-9 hours
• Older adults (65+): Sleep range is about 7-8 hours

Ways to Improve Your Sleep

The journey towards better sleep should include healthy nutrition and exercise, as well as investing in a proper mattress that meets your needs!

There are some things that can help yourself get on the right path towards a better night’s sleep:

• Stick to a tight sleep schedule, even on weekends.
• Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.
• Exercise daily, preferably 3 hours before bedtime
• Check your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, light, and sound.
• Avoid sleep stealers, like alcohol, nicotine, sugar and caffeine.
• Turn off all electronics an hour or more before bedtime.
• And of course, sleep on a comfortable mattress and conforming pillows.

 

Fragmented sleep has been commonly attributed to a poor mattress. The good news is that Mattress World Northwest offers multiple mattresses that can cater to each individual’s needs and sleep positions.

For instance, the Instant Comfort by Original Smart Bed is a mattress that changes with you!

These amazing mattresses let you control the level of softness or firmness in your bed using the millimeters mercury scale (mm/Hg), the medical-standard. Each bed has over 45 comfort settings, allowing you to enjoy a highly customized sleep experience, reduce tossing and turning, and wake up feeling well-rested and rejuvenated

Take the first step towards your best night’s rest by coming to one of our many locations and trying out our beds for yourself!

Sources

• https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need.htm

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