What’s keeping you up at night? If you don’t feel like you’re getting enough sleep, you’re not alone. More than 38% of American Indian and Alaskan Native people don’t get enough sleep.
Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every 24 hours.
Here’s how much sleep each person needs:
| Age Group | Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day | |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0-3 Months | 14-17 Hours |
| Infant | 4-12 Months | 12-16 Hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 Years | 11-14 Hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years | 10-13 hours |
| School Age | 6-12 years | 9-12 hours |
| Teen | 13-18 years | 8-10 hours |
| Adult | 18-60 years | 7 or more hours |
| Edler | 61+ | 7-9 hours |
Source: www.cdc.gov
What Happens When I Get Enough Sleep?
There’s a whole host of health benefits to good sleep.
Good sleep:
- Strengthens your immune system, preventing sickness
- Can prevent mental health issues like depression, anxiety, suicide, etc.
- Helps stabilize your blood sugar levels
- Can prevent heart problems like heart attacks and stroke
- Lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Causes you to eat less
- Prevents traffic accidents
- Lengthens your life
Source: Why We Sleep. Walker, Matthew.
It’s Not Only About How Much Sleep You Get
Getting the recommended amount of sleep is important. But just as important is getting quality sleep.
Studies show our ancestors slept only 6 to 7 hours a night. How were they able to live off so little sleep? Scientists believe their quality of sleep was much better. As evidence, some cultures didn’t even have a word for “insomnia.”
How to Improve Sleep
For the best ways to improve your sleep, check out these 10 Tips for Healthy Sleep or visit www.cdc.gov/sleep.