Lack of sleep is one of those things nobody wants to let into their life, but somehow it always finds a way in. The medical world has talked endlessly about the consequences of not getting enough sleep... but what is the magic number? Does one even exist? The National Sleep Foundation shares an updated table of general values based on age and basically confirms that the classic 8 hours are not enough for everyone. In fact, the younger the person, the more they need to sleep.
Personal conflicts, economic difficulties, illnesses... there are plenty of reasons to lose sleep. Giving up a night or two usually has no major consequences, but the problem arises when the Sandman stays away too often, or his visits become irregular.
The market offers a wide range of alternatives and recommendations (whether "natural" or indicated by a medical professional), but the first thing we need to understand is how many hours we actually have to sleep. The "8 hours" mark has become a kind of wildcard that everyone aspires to, but there are other factors to consider, starting with age.
How Much Sleep Do You Need According to Your Age?
The National Sleep Foundation shares from its page a table of recommended sleep, which is divided into nine categories (previously seven).
- Newborns (0-3 months) need between 14 and 17 hours of sleep.
- Infants (4-11 months) between 12 and 15 hours.
- Children (1-2 years) from 11 to 14 hours.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years) from 10 to 13 hours.
- Primary school children (6-13 years) between 9 and 11 hours.
The 8 hours of sleep only appear as "possibly appropriate" for the two higher categories, but the study suggests that in practice they require more sleep, which comes into direct conflict with traditional school schedules for the morning shift.
Going over the rest of the data clearly:
- 0 to 2 years: 14 hours
- 3 to 17 years: 10 hours
- 14-17 years: 8 to 10 hours
- 18-64 years: 7 to 9 hours
- 65+ years: 7 to 8 hours
Of course, there are people who might need more or less time in bed, but the margin of error is one or two hours in either direction. Do you think the work is accurate? Should we modify our habits and sleep more, or are the new values a bit exaggerated? Comments are open.
