How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need at least 7 hours a night, and many need closer to 8. Enter an age to see the consensus range.
For babies, use a decimal (0.5 = six months).
Adult (26–64 years)
7–9 h
7+ (AASM/SRS); 7–9 (NSF)
Recommended sleep by age
| Age group | Ages | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | 4–12 months | 12–16 | per 24 h including naps (AASM) |
| Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 | per 24 h including naps (AASM) |
| Preschool | 3–5 years | 10–13 | per 24 h including naps (AASM) |
| School age | 6–12 years | 9–12 | per 24 h (AASM) |
| Teen | 13–17 years | 8–10 | per 24 h (AASM) |
| Young adult | 18–25 years | 7–9 | 7+ (AASM/SRS); 7–9 (NSF) |
| Adult | 26–64 years | 7–9 | 7+ (AASM/SRS); 7–9 (NSF) |
| Older adult | 65+ years | 7–8 | 7–8 (NSF) |
Your need is personal
The ranges describe groups. Your own need is mostly genetic and fairly stable through adulthood. The best test is a week or two without an alarm: once the first few days of catch-up are over, the amount you settle at is your need. Enter that number in the sleep debt calculator for an honest count of what you owe.
Signs you're under your need: relying on an alarm every day, sleeping much longer on free days, dozing off within 5 minutes of lying down, or needing caffeine to get through the afternoon.
Questions people ask
How much sleep do adults need?
Adults aged 18 to 60 should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The National Sleep Foundation gives 7 to 9 hours for adults 18 to 64 and 7 to 8 hours for 65 and over.
Is 6 hours of sleep enough?
For almost all adults, no. A small number of people carry rare genetic variants that let them function on about 6 hours, but lab studies show most people who sleep 6 hours accumulate measurable attention deficits even when they feel fine.
Can you sleep too much?
Regularly needing more than 9 to 10 hours as an adult and still feeling unrefreshed is worth mentioning to a doctor. Occasional long sleep while recovering from debt or illness is normal.
How much sleep do teenagers need?
Teenagers 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours (AASM consensus for children and adolescents). Their body clocks also naturally shift later during puberty.
How do I find my personal sleep need?
On a holiday with no alarm, after the first few days of catch-up sleep, note how long you sleep naturally. That settled amount is a good estimate of your need.
Sources
- Watson NF et al. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: AASM and SRS joint consensus statement. Sleep, 38(6).
- Paruthi S et al. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: AASM consensus statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(6).
- Hirshkowitz M et al. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations. Sleep Health, 1(1).