How Many Hours of Sleep Should People Get?

Sleep is critical to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Recognized Benefits

Sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle, and there are many factors that determine the number of hours people should be sleeping per night, according to The Mayo Clinic. For most adults, seven to nine hours per night is considered adequate to function the next day.

Variables Affecting Sleep

Experts agree there is no magic number of hours we need to sleep each night, according to The National Sleep Foundation. Age also plays a large role, with newborns needing up to 18 hours, and teens requiring eight and a half to nine hours per night.

Bottom Line

As every individual is different, experts recommend varying number of hours of sleep to see how different hours affect mood, productivity and energy levels. Determine the right amount of hours for individual needs and try to stick to a sleep schedule.

References

• Mayo Clinic: How Many Hours Are Enough?
• National Sleep Foundation: How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?