How much sleep should I get?
Sleep is critical, no matter your age. Without sleep, you’ll find it difficult to go about your day and complete even the simplest of tasks. As a society, we neglect sleep and don’t give it the credit it deserves when it comes to the recovery and repair of our body - as well as the function of our immune system.
Research shows that just one poor night's sleep can affect our cognitive performance and memory, increasing anxiety and stress. To feel productive, healthy, and happy we need to give some attention to how much (and the quality of) sleep we’re getting.
How do I know if I need more sleep?
It’s difficult to recognise, diagnose and treat sleep related issues or disorders. Because we often attribute feeling fatigued to work, studies or perhaps mental illnesses like depression, we may entirely miss the warning signs that we might be suffering from a sleeping disorder.
It’s normal at any age to experience a poor night’s sleep, or have trouble falling asleep some nights. However, if you do suffer any of the following symptoms regularly, this may be a tell tale sign you need more sleep, or may suffer a sleeping disorder:
Struggle falling asleep even when you are tired
Having trouble getting back to sleep
Wake up not feeling refreshed after a full night’s sleep
Feel irritable or have difficulty controlling your emotions
Difficulty staying awake when completing repetitive tasks, watching TV, or driving
Find it difficult to concentrate throughout the day
How much sleep should I be getting?
To identify if you may be struggling with sleep, you can refer to the recommended guidelines below. This should only be used as a rough guide, and remember there may be individual circumstances which make these ranges different for you.
How much sleep do you need by age:
Newborns (0-3 months) - 14 to 17 hours
Infants (4-11 months) - 12 to 15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years) - 11 to 14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years) - 10 to 13 hours
School-aged children (6-13 years) - 9 to 11 hours
Teenagers (14-17 years) - 8 to 10 hours
Young adults (18-25 years) - 7 to 9 hours
Adults (26-64 years) - 7 to 9 hours
Older adults (>65 years) - 7 to 8 hours
The above recommendations are from the US-based National Sleep Foundation, published in 2015 in their journal Sleep Health.
In addition to the above recommendations, you can also usually tell if someone hasn’t had enough sleep by observing their behaviour and actions. If you find yourself struggling to concentrate, or have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching TV, or driving then you may not be getting enough sleep to function optimally.
Your questions, answered!
We know that sleep is about more than just your age. In fact, how much sleep you need depends on your sleep patterns, daily activities and overall health.
We took six of the internet's most asked questions about sleep, so you can tell if you need some more shut eye depending on your circumstances.
Do you need more sleep if you exercise a lot?
You may need more sleep, or better quality sleep if you are physically active. Sleep deprivation can lead to slower recovery times, poorer athletic performance and may make you more susceptible to injury.
If you engage in regular physical activity, you may fall asleep quicker, which means you could spend the same amount of time in bed, but more time asleep.
Do you need more sleep if you are overweight?
If you’re overweight, you may not necessarily need more sleep, but you are more likely to suffer from sleep-disordered breathing - such as sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea can leave you waking up feeling like you never went to bed. You may suffer chronic fatigue in tandem, and it can be hard to begin or maintain regular exercise, which worsens your health.
Do you need more sleep if you have anxiety?
Stress and anxiety may actually cause sleeping problems or make existing ones worse. When suffering from anxiety, it can help to get more sleep, but don’t spend time awake in bed.
If you suffer from anxiety and struggle falling asleep, you may end up being less productive which then fuels further anxiety - it’s a negative cycle. To break this routine, try some of our top tips for a good night’s sleep.
Do you need more sleep if you work harder?
You don’t necessarily need more sleep if you work harder, but of course, if you work longer hours you are bound to feel tired - which over time can lead to ‘burn out’. Unfortunately the ‘work hard, play hard’ motto has resulted in a society filled with sleep deprivation.
If you have better sleep, your memory sharpens and you’ll be more alert - this can do wonders for your learning and career development, so you should make it a priority.
Do you need more sleep if you’re sick?
If you feel sleepy when you’re sick, it’s likely your body is trying to boost the function of your immune system and fight your illness.
Take all the rest your body needs when you have a cold, flu or other illness. Just make sure you drink lots of water and eat some nutritious meals from time to time. If the illness persists more than a few days, you may wish to seek the advice of your doctor.
Do you need more sleep during your period?
Over 90% of women say they notice some physical or emotional changes in the lead-up to their period - with one of those being their sleep. You should listen to your body and take some extra shut eye if you need it. However, you should avoid spending large amounts of time in bed awake.
Women with PMS are twice as likely to suffer from insomnia before and during their period. Although researchers are uncertain why this occurs, potential reasons may be changing hormone levels, increased body temperature and heightened anxiety.
The bottom line
Getting enough quality sleep is important no matter your age. Along with exercise and a healthy diet, try to incorporate and maintain good sleep habits to boost your health and wellbeing for the long-term.
If you’re experiencing persistent disruptions to your sleep, consult with a pharmacist or trusted medical professional to discuss possible solutions.
Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.