🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 121 (from laksa141)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa121.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need","crawl_time":1776105874,"first_indexed_time":1716679699,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,helpguide!www,\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need s443","src_root_hash":"10679577116146527521","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How Much Sleep Do You Need? - HelpGuide.org","meta_descriptions":["What are your nightly sleep needs? What does sleep do for your health? Explore why sleep is so important and how to make sure you're getting all that you need."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Why is sleep so important?\nThe quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!\nWhen you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.\nSleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.\nThe good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer.\nMyths and facts about sleep\nMyths and facts about sleep\nMyth:\nGetting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.\nFact:\nYou may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections.\nMyth:\nYour body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules.\nFact:\nMost people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work.\nMyth:\nExtra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue.\nFact:\nThe quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor.\nMyth:\nYou can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends.\nFact:\nAlthough this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings.\nSource: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health\nSpeak to a Licensed Therapist\nBetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.\nTake Assessment\nHelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site.\nLearn more\nSleep needs\nThere is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for\nchronic sleep deprivation.\nJust because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.\nWhile sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.\nAverage sleep needs by age\nAge\nHours needed\nMay be appropriate\nNewborn to 3 months old\n14 – 17 hrs\n11 – 19 hrs\n4 to 11 months old\n12 – 15 hrs\n10 – 18 hrs\n1 to 2 years old\n11 – 14 hrs\n9 – 16 hrs\n3 to 5 years old\n10 – 13 hrs\n8 – 14 hrs\n6 to 13 years old\n9 – 11 hrs\n7 – 12 hrs\n14 to 17 years old\n8 – 10 hrs\n7 – 11 hrs\nYoung adults (18 to 25 years old)\n7 – 9 hrs\n6 – 11 hrs\nAdults (26 to 64 years old)\n7 – 9 hrs\n6 – 10 hrs\nOlder adults (65+)\n7 – 8 hrs\n5 – 9 hrs\nSource: National Sleep Foundation\nThe best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.\nAre 6 hours enough sleep?\nFor most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it.\nThe importance of deep sleep and REM sleep\nIt’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the \nquality\nof those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep.\n[Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles]\nEach stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However,\ndeep sleep\n(the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting\nREM sleep\nare particularly important.\nYou can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when\nREM sleep stages\nare longer.\nSigns that you’re not getting enough sleep\nIf you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you.\nHow is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate.\n[Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects]\nFurthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived.\nYou may be sleep deprived if you…\nNeed an alarm clock in order to wake up on time.\nRely on the snooze button.\nHave a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.\nFeel sluggish in the afternoon.\nGet sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.\nGet drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.\nNeed to nap to get through the day.\nFall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening.\nFeel the need to sleep in on weekends.\nFall asleep within five minutes of going to bed.\nHow to get the sleep that you need\nWhether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a \nspecific sleep problem\n, or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following\nsleep tips\n. Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep.\nRule out medical causes for your sleep problems.\nA sleep disturbance may be a\nsymptom of a physical or mental health issue\n, or a side-effect of certain medications.\nStick to a regular sleep schedule.\nSupport your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends.\n[Read: How to Sleep Better]\nGet regular exercise.\nRegular exercise\ncan improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime.\nBe smart about what you eat and drink.\nCaffeine, alcohol, and \nsugary foods\ncan all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime.\nGet help with stress management.\nIf the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night,\nlearning how to handle stress\nin a productive way can help you sleep better at night.\nImprove your sleep environment.\nKeep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position.\nDevelop a relaxing bedtime routine.\nAvoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or \npracticing a relaxation technique\nto prepare for sleep.\nPostpone worrying.\nIf you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and \npostpone worrying\nabout it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.\nMore Information\nBrain Basics: Understanding Sleep | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke\n. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\nLink\nHow Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? | cdc.gov\n. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\nLink\nJet Lag—PMC\n. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\nLink\nShi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep\/Wake Behaviors.\nNeuron\n, 103(6), 1044-1055.e7.\nLink\nSpadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study.\nSleep\n, 42(11), zsz136.\nLink\nThe association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population | Scientific Reports\n. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\nLink\nWatson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins.\nSleep\n, 40(1).\nLink\n“Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In\nDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders\n. DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013.\nLink\nNational Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019.\nLink","attrs_markdown":"[![HelpGuide.org](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Group-13075.svg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/)\n\n- [Español](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/es\/sueno\/cuanto-necesita-dormir)\n\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n  - [Meet Our Team](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/meet-our-team)\n  - [Our Story](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/our-story)\n  - [Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/jeanne-segal)\n  - [Advisory Council](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/professional-advisory-council)\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/contact-us)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n  - [Harvard Health Partnership](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/harvard)\n  - [Audio Meditations](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/meditation)\n  - [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/newsletter)\n  - [Helplines](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/find-help)\n\n[Donate](https:\/\/give.helpguide.org\/give\/581002\/#!\/donation\/checkout)\n\n[![HelpGuide.org](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Logo-3.svg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/)\n\n[Donate](https:\/\/give.helpguide.org\/give\/581002\/#!\/donation\/checkout)\n\n- [Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n- [How to Sleep Better: Tips to Improve Sleep Quality](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\n- [Sleep Disorders and Problems: Types, Causes, Treatment](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems)\n- [Sleep and Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-and-mental-health)\n- [How Sleeping Positions Can Affect Sleep Quality](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality)\n- [The Connection Between Sleep and ADHD](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/adhd-and-sleep)\n- [Parasomnias: Types, Causes, and Symptoms](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms)\n- [Sleep Statistics](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-statistics)\n- [Online Therapy: Is it Right for You?](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/?p=130493)\n\n- [Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health)\n  [Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health)\n  \n  - [ADHD](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/adhd)\n  - [Addiction](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/addiction)\n  - [Anxiety](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/anxiety)\n  - [Bipolar Disorder](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/bipolar-disorder)\n  - [Depression](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression)\n  - [Eating Disorders](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/eating-disorders)\n  - [Grief & Loss](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/grief)\n  \n  - [Personality Disorders](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/personality-disorders)\n  - [PTSD & Trauma](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/ptsd-trauma)\n  - [Schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/schizophrenia)\n  - [Stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress)\n  - [Suicide & Self-Harm](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/suicide-self-harm)\n  - [Treatment](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/treatment)\n  \n  Featured\n  \n  [Coping with Depression](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression\/coping-with-depression)\n  \n  Tips for overcoming depression one step at a time\n  \n  [![A woman in an orange dress strolls gracefully along a scenic path surrounded by greenery as she is coping with depression.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Coping-with-Depression-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression\/coping-with-depression)\n  \n  [The Best Online Therapy Platforms](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/treatment\/best-online-therapy)\n  \n  HelpGuide’s reviews of the best services\n  \n  [![Abstract illustration of a woman sitting on the floor, a hand reaching out to her from a computer screen, symbolizing the best online therapy services.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Online-Therapy-384x384.png)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/treatment\/best-online-therapy)\n- [Health & Wellness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness)\n  [Health & Wellness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness)\n  \n  - [Exercise & Fitness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/fitness)\n  - [Nutrition](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/nutrition)\n  - [Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n  - [Stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress)\n  - [Well-being & Happiness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/wellbeing)\n  - [Pets](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/pets)\n  \n  - [Weight Management](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/weight-loss)\n  - [Work & Career](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/career)\n  - [Illness & Disability](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/health-conditions)\n  - [Heart Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/heart-health)\n  - [Cancer](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/cancer)\n  - [Sexual Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/sexual-health)\n  \n  Featured\n  \n  [Stress Management](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/stress-management)\n  \n  How to reduce, prevent, and relieve stress\n  \n  [![A person calmly displays a colorful bunch of flowers in front of a lush green backdrop, suggesting successful stress management.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Stress-Management-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/stress-management)\n  \n  [Insomnia: What to Do When You Can't Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/insomnia-causes-and-cures)\n  \n  The causes of insomnia, and what to do when you can’t sleep\n  \n  [![A woman in a denim shirt sits on a bed, looking out a window at city lights during the night.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Insomnia-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/insomnia-causes-and-cures)\n- [Children & Family](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family)\n  [Children & Family](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family)\n  \n  - [Autism](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/autism)\n  - [Learning Disabilities](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/learning-disabilities)\n  - [Family Caregiving](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving)\n  \n  - [Parenting](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/parenting)\n  - [Teen Issues](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/young-adults)\n  \n  Featured\n  \n  [ADHD in Children](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/adhd\/adhd-in-children)\n  \n  What Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder looks like in kids\n  \n  [![Two children wearing aviator goggles and hats glide on skateboards with arms outstretched, illustrating ADHD in children.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ADHD-in-Children-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/adhd\/adhd-in-children)\n  \n  [Caregiver Stress and Caregiver Burnout](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving\/caregiver-stress-and-burnout)\n  \n  Tips for regaining your energy, optimism, and hope\n  \n  [![Withered plant in a terracotta pot under harsh sunlight, representing caregiver burnout and depletion.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Caregiver-Burnout-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving\/caregiver-stress-and-burnout)\n- [Relationships](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships)\n  [Relationships](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships)\n  \n  - [Communication](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/communication)\n  - [Emotional Intelligence](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/emotional-intelligence)\n  - [Love & Friendship](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/social-connection)\n  \n  - [Domestic Abuse](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/domestic-abuse)\n  - [Sexual Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/sexual-health)\n  \n  Featured\n  \n  [Setting Healthy Boundaries in Relationships](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/social-connection\/setting-healthy-boundaries-in-relationships)\n  \n  Strengthen your connections and improve your self-esteem\n  \n  [![Two people stand either side of a red line, symbolizing setting boundaries in relationships.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Boundaries-384x256.png)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/social-connection\/setting-healthy-boundaries-in-relationships)\n  \n  [Improving Emotional Intelligence (EQ)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/wellbeing\/emotional-intelligence-eq)\n  \n  Boost your EQ to help find happiness and success\n  \n  [![Two small wooden figures each walk inside their own large, circular band, representing improving emotional intelligence.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Improving-Emotional-Intelligence-384x257.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/wellbeing\/emotional-intelligence-eq)\n- [Aging Well](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging)\n  [Aging Well](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging)\n  \n  - [Healthy Aging](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/healthy-aging)\n  - [Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/dementia)\n  \n  - [Family Caregiving](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving)\n  - [End of Life](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/end-of-life)\n  \n  Featured\n  \n  [Depression in Older Adults](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression\/depression-in-older-adults)\n  \n  Recognizing the signs and getting the right treatment\n  \n  [![A bush adorned with a contrast of orange and white flowers, showcasing the nature of depression in older adults](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Depression-in-Older-Adults-384x576.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression\/depression-in-older-adults)\n  \n  [Aging Well](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/healthy-aging\/staying-healthy-as-you-age)\n  \n  Tips to staying healthy as you get older\n  \n  [![Low-angle shot looking up into the expansive, sun-drenched canopy of a large oak tree against a clear blue sky, representing aging well.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Aging-Well-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/healthy-aging\/staying-healthy-as-you-age)\n- [Screeners](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/screening-tests\/depression-test)\n  - [Depression Test](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/screening-tests\/depression-test)\n\n- [Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health)\n- [Health & Wellness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness)\n- [Children & Family](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family)\n- [Relationships](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships)\n- [Aging Well](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging)\n- [Screeners](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/screening-tests\/depression-test)\n\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n\n- [Español](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/es\/sueno\/cuanto-necesita-dormir)\n\nReturn\n\n[Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health)\n\n- [ADHD](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/adhd)\n- [Addiction](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/addiction)\n- [Anxiety](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/anxiety)\n- [Bipolar Disorder](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/bipolar-disorder)\n- [Depression](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression)\n- [Eating Disorders](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/eating-disorders)\n- [Grief & Loss](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/grief)\n- [Personality Disorders](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/personality-disorders)\n- [PTSD & Trauma](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/ptsd-trauma)\n- [Schizophrenia](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/schizophrenia)\n- [Stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress)\n- [Suicide & Self-Harm](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/suicide-self-harm)\n- [Treatment](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/treatment)\n\nReturn\n\n[Health & Wellness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness)\n\n- [Exercise & Fitness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/fitness)\n- [Nutrition](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/nutrition)\n- [Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n- [Stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress)\n- [Well-being & Happiness](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/wellbeing)\n- [Pets](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/pets)\n- [Weight Management](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/weight-loss)\n- [Work & Career](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/career)\n- [Illness & Disability](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/health-conditions)\n- [Heart Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/heart-health)\n- [Cancer](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/cancer)\n- [Sexual Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/sexual-health)\n\nReturn\n\n[Children & Family](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family)\n\n- [Autism](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/autism)\n- [Learning Disabilities](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/learning-disabilities)\n- [Family Caregiving](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving)\n- [Parenting](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/parenting)\n- [Teen Issues](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/young-adults)\n\nReturn\n\n[Relationships](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships)\n\n- [Communication](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/communication)\n- [Emotional Intelligence](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/emotional-intelligence)\n- [Love & Friendship](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/social-connection)\n- [Domestic Abuse](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/domestic-abuse)\n- [Sexual Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/relationships\/sexual-health)\n\nReturn\n\n[Aging Well](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging)\n\n- [Healthy Aging](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/healthy-aging)\n- [Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/dementia)\n- [Family Caregiving](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/family\/caregiving)\n- [End of Life](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/aging\/end-of-life)\n\nReturn\n\n[Screeners](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/screening-tests\/depression-test)\n\n- [Depression Test](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/screening-tests\/depression-test)\n\nReturn\n\n[About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n- [Meet Our Team](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/meet-our-team)\n- [Our Story](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/our-story)\n\nReturn\n\n[Resources](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n\n- [Harvard Health Partnership](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/harvard)\n- [Audio Meditations](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/meditation)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/newsletter)\n- [Helplines](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/find-help)\n\nWhy is sleep so important?\n\n- Why is sleep so important?\n- Myths and facts about sleep\n- Sleep needs\n- The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep\n- Signs that you're not getting enough sleep\n- How to get the sleep that you need\n\n[Home](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/) [Choose a Therapist](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/)\n\n### Choose a Therapist\nThis therapist directory is offered in partnership with BetterHelp. If you sign up for therapy after clicking through from this site, HelpGuide will earn a commission. This helps us continue our nonprofit mission and continue to be there as a free mental health resource for everyone.\n\nNeed to talk to someone now? [Find a crisis helpline](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/find-help)\n\nIf you're a BetterHelp therapist with questions about your directory listing, please contact [therapists@betterhelp.com](mailto:therapists@betterhelp.com)\n\nNeed to talk to someone now? [Find a crisis helpline](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/find-help)\n\n[Are You Feeling Suicidal? How to Cope with Thoughts of Suicide](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/suicide-self-harm\/are-you-feeling-suicidal)\n\n[![depression-helpline](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/plugins\/helpguide-core-functionality\/assets\/images\/svg\/depression-helpline.svg) Coping with depression Tips for overcoming depression one step at a time](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/depression\/coping-with-depression)\n\n[![generalized-helpline](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/plugins\/helpguide-core-functionality\/assets\/images\/svg\/generalized-helpline.svg) Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms, treatment, and self-help for chronic anxiety](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/anxiety\/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n# How Much Sleep Do You Need?\nLast updated on February 4, 2026\n\nWhat are your nightly sleep needs? Why is sleep so important? By better understanding your body’s needs, you can improve your sleep habits and the quality of your waking life.\n\n![Hand reaches out to touch a glowing sunrise alarm clock on a bedside table as someone sleeps in the background.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/How-Much-Sleep-Do-You-Need-1200x798.jpeg)\n\nBy  [Melinda Smith, M.A.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/bio\/melinda-smith-ma) and [Lawrence Robinson](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/bio\/lawrence-robinson)\n\n- Why is sleep so important?\n- Myths and facts about sleep\n- Sleep needs\n- The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep\n- Signs that you're not getting enough sleep\n- How to get the sleep that you need\n\n## Why is sleep so important?\nThe quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort\\!\n\nWhen you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.\n\nSleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.\n\nThe good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer.\n\n## Myths and facts about sleep\n### Myths and facts about sleep\n###### Myth:\n**Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.**\n\n###### Fact:\nYou may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections.\n\n###### Myth:\n**Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules.**\n\n###### Fact:\nMost people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work.\n\n###### Myth:\n**Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue.**\n\n###### Fact:\nThe quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor.\n\n###### Myth:\n**You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends.**\n\n###### Fact:\nAlthough this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings.\n\n*Source: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health*\n\n#### Speak to a Licensed Therapist\nBetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.\n\n[Take Assessment](https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide)\n\nHelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site.  [Learn more](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/affiliate-disclosure)\n## Sleep needs\nThere is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for [chronic sleep deprivation.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n\nJust because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.\n\nWhile sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.\n\n### Average sleep needs by age\n| Age | Hours needed | May be appropriate |\n|---|---|---|\n| Newborn to 3 months old | 14 – 17 hrs | 11 – 19 hrs |\n| 4 to 11 months old | 12 – 15 hrs | 10 – 18 hrs |\n| 1 to 2 years old | 11 – 14 hrs | 9 – 16 hrs |\n| 3 to 5 years old | 10 – 13 hrs | 8 – 14 hrs |\n| 6 to 13 years old | 9 – 11 hrs | 7 – 12 hrs |\n| 14 to 17 years old | 8 – 10 hrs | 7 – 11 hrs |\n| Young adults (18 to 25 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 11 hrs |\n| Adults (26 to 64 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 10 hrs |\n| Older adults (65+) | 7 – 8 hrs | 5 – 9 hrs |\n\n*Source: National Sleep Foundation*\n\nThe best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.\n\n### Are 6 hours enough sleep?\nFor most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it.\n\n## The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep\nIt’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the *quality* of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep.\n\n[\\[Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/stages-of-sleep)\n\nEach stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, **deep sleep** (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting **REM sleep** are particularly important.\n\nYou can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when [REM sleep stages](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/stages-of-sleep#dreaming) are longer.\n\n## Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep\nIf you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you.\n\nHow is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate.\n\n[\\[Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n\nFurthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived.\n\n### You may be sleep deprived if you…\n- Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time.\n- Rely on the snooze button.\n- Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.\n- Feel sluggish in the afternoon.\n- Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.\n- Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.\n- Need to nap to get through the day.\n- Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening.\n- Feel the need to sleep in on weekends.\n- Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed.\n## How to get the sleep that you need\nWhether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a [specific sleep problem](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems), or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following [sleep tips](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep). Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep.\n\n**Rule out medical causes for your sleep problems.** A sleep disturbance may be a [symptom of a physical or mental health issue](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/medical-causes-of-sleep-problems), or a side-effect of certain medications.\n\n**Stick to a regular sleep schedule.** Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends.\n\n[\\[Read: How to Sleep Better\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\n\n**Get regular exercise.** [Regular exercise](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/fitness\/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise) can improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime.\n\n**Be smart about what you eat and drink.** Caffeine, alcohol, and [sugary foods](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/nutrition\/choosing-healthy-carbs) can all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime.\n\n**Get help with stress management.** If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night, [learning how to handle stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/stress-management) in a productive way can help you sleep better at night.\n\n**Improve your sleep environment.** Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position.\n\n**Develop a relaxing bedtime routine.** Avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or [practicing a relaxation technique](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief) to prepare for sleep.\n\n**Postpone worrying.** If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and [postpone worrying](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/anxiety\/how-to-stop-worrying)  about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.\n\n## More Information\nReferences\n\n1. *Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep \\| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/health-information\/public-education\/brain-basics\/brain-basics-understanding-sleep)\n2. *How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? \\| cdc.gov*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/heart-disease\/about\/sleep-and-heart-health.html)\n3. *Jet Lag—PMC*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3086113\/)\n4. Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep\/Wake Behaviors. *Neuron*, 103(6), 1044-1055.e7.\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2019.07.026)\n5. Spadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study. *Sleep*, 42(11), zsz136.\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/sleep\/zsz136)\n6. *The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population \\| Scientific Reports*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-020-62227-0)\n7. Watson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins. *Sleep*, 40(1).\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/sleep\/zsw019)\n8. “Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*. DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013.\n   [Link](https:\/\/dsm.psychiatryonline.org\/doi\/full\/10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425787.x12_Sleep-Wake_Disorders)\n9. National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019.\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/nih-research-matters\/gene-identified-people-who-need-little-sleep)\n\n[Copy Link](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n\nLink copied\\!\n\nShare\n\nPrint\n\nDownload PDF\n\n## More in Sleep\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep Deprivation](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\nHow lack of sleep can damage your health\n\n[![Three white espresso and coffee cups with saucers in small, medium, and large sizes on a wooden shelf.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sleep-Deprivation-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [How to Sleep Better](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\nTips to improve sleep quality\n\n[![Fuzzy pink blanket on a bed with grey pillows and warm string lights glowing in the background.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/How-to-Sleep-Better-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep Disorders and Problems](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems)\nTypes, causes, symptoms, and treatment for common sleep problems\n\n[![Silhouette of a person with long hair looking at a small, bright moon in a dark blue twilight sky.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Sleep-Disorders-384x216.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep and Mental Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-and-mental-health)\nHow they’re closely connected\n\n[![A woman is seated rigidly on the edge of a bed after a restless night, staring at a window, illustrating the link between sleep and mental health.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Sleep-and-Mental-Health-384x256.png)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-and-mental-health)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleeping Positions and Sleep Quality](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality)\nHow sleep position can impact how well you rest\n\n[![A man and woman sleep side by side in a cosy, comfortable bed, illustrating how sleeping positions can affect sleep quality.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/How-Sleeping-Positions-Can-Affect-Sleep-Quality-384x255.jpg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [The Connection Between Sleep and ADHD](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/adhd-and-sleep)\nHow sleep impacts ADHD\n\n[![A woman struggles to sleep in a cozy bed, surrounded by soft pillows and blankets, illustrating the connection between sleep and ADHD.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/The-Connection-Between-Sleep-and-ADHD-384x258.jpg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/adhd-and-sleep)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Parasomnias](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms)\nTypes, causes, and symptoms\n\n[![A man standing in front of a cloud-filled doorway.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Parasomnias-Types-Causes-And-Symptoms-384x256.jpg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms)\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep Statistics](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-statistics)\nHow sleep impacts health and well-being\n\n[![Alarm clock resting on a bed side table](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Sleep-Statistics-384x256.jpeg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-statistics)\n\nShare\n\nDownload PDF\n\n### More in Sleep\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep Deprivation](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\nHow lack of sleep can damage your health\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [How to Sleep Better](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\nTips to improve sleep quality\n\n[Sleep](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep)\n\n### [Sleep Disorders and Problems](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems)\nTypes, causes, symptoms, and treatment for common sleep problems\n\n![](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/therapy-sidebar-384x229.jpg)\n\n#### Professional therapy, done online\nBetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist.\n\n[Take Assessment](https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide)\n\n[HelpGuide is user supported. We may earn a commission from links you follow.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/affiliate-disclosure)\n\n## Help us *help others*\nMillions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.\n\n[Donate to HelpGuide.org today](https:\/\/give.helpguide.org\/give\/581002\/#!\/donation\/checkout)\n\n[![HelpGuide.org](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Group-13075.svg)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/)\n\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us)\n  - [Meet Our Team](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/meet-our-team)\n  - [Our Story](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/about-us\/our-story)\n  - [Advisory Council](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/professional-advisory-council)\n\n- [Resources](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n  - [Harvard Health](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/harvard)\n  - [Meditation](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/meditation)\n  - [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/newsletter)\n\n- [Get In Touch](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/contact-us)\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/contact-us)\n\n515 S Flower St Ste 1800  \n Los Angeles CA 90071\n\n[![Guidestar Platinum Transparency 2021](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/candid-seal-platinum-2022-1.png)](https:\/\/www.guidestar.org\/profile\/45-4510670)   [![Great Nonprofits 2021 Top Rated](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Group-13103-1.png)](https:\/\/greatnonprofits.org\/org\/helpguide)   [![HONcode standard for trustworthy health information](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/badge-2.png)](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need)\n\n##### Join Our Newsletter\nMental health and wellness tips, our latest guides, resources, and more.\n\n##### Mental Health Helplines\nAre you or someone you know in crisis? Find helplines and other resources around the world.\n\n[Get Help](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/find-help)\n\n©1999-2026 HelpGuide.org   \n All rights reserved. HELPGUIDE.ORG INTERNATIONAL is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization (ID \\#45-4510670). Our content does not constitute a medical or psychological consultation. See a certified medical or mental health professional for diagnosis. [Learn more](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/terms-of-use).\n\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/terms-of-use)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/privacy-policy)\n- [Cookies Policy](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/cookie-policy)\n- [Affiliate Policy](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/affiliate-disclosure)","attrs_readable_markdown":"## Why is sleep so important?\nThe quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort\\!\n\nWhen you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health.\n\nSleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.\n\nThe good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer.\n\n## Myths and facts about sleep\n### Myths and facts about sleep\n###### Myth:\n**Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.**\n\n###### Fact:\nYou may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections.\n\n###### Myth:\n**Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules.**\n\n###### Fact:\nMost people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work.\n\n###### Myth:\n**Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue.**\n\n###### Fact:\nThe quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor.\n\n###### Myth:\n**You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends.**\n\n###### Fact:\nAlthough this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings.\n\n*Source: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health*\n\n#### Speak to a Licensed Therapist\nBetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.\n\n[Take Assessment](https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide) HelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site.  [Learn more](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/affiliate-disclosure)\n## Sleep needs\nThere is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for [chronic sleep deprivation.](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n\nJust because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.\n\nWhile sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.\n\n### Average sleep needs by age\n| Age | Hours needed | May be appropriate |\n|---|---|---|\n| Newborn to 3 months old | 14 – 17 hrs | 11 – 19 hrs |\n| 4 to 11 months old | 12 – 15 hrs | 10 – 18 hrs |\n| 1 to 2 years old | 11 – 14 hrs | 9 – 16 hrs |\n| 3 to 5 years old | 10 – 13 hrs | 8 – 14 hrs |\n| 6 to 13 years old | 9 – 11 hrs | 7 – 12 hrs |\n| 14 to 17 years old | 8 – 10 hrs | 7 – 11 hrs |\n| Young adults (18 to 25 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 11 hrs |\n| Adults (26 to 64 years old) | 7 – 9 hrs | 6 – 10 hrs |\n| Older adults (65+) | 7 – 8 hrs | 5 – 9 hrs |\n\n*Source: National Sleep Foundation*\n\nThe best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime.\n\n### Are 6 hours enough sleep?\nFor most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it.\n\n## The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep\nIt’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the *quality* of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep.\n\n[\\[Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/stages-of-sleep)\n\nEach stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, **deep sleep** (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting **REM sleep** are particularly important.\n\nYou can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when [REM sleep stages](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/stages-of-sleep#dreaming) are longer.\n\n## Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep\nIf you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you.\n\nHow is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate.\n\n[\\[Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-deprivation)\n\nFurthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived.\n\n### You may be sleep deprived if you…\n- Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time.\n- Rely on the snooze button.\n- Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.\n- Feel sluggish in the afternoon.\n- Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.\n- Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.\n- Need to nap to get through the day.\n- Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening.\n- Feel the need to sleep in on weekends.\n- Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed.\n## How to get the sleep that you need\nWhether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a [specific sleep problem](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/sleep-disorders-and-problems), or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following [sleep tips](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep). Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep.\n\n**Rule out medical causes for your sleep problems.** A sleep disturbance may be a [symptom of a physical or mental health issue](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/medical-causes-of-sleep-problems), or a side-effect of certain medications.\n\n**Stick to a regular sleep schedule.** Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends.\n\n[\\[Read: How to Sleep Better\\]](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/sleep\/getting-better-sleep)\n\n**Get regular exercise.** [Regular exercise](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/fitness\/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise) can improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime.\n\n**Be smart about what you eat and drink.** Caffeine, alcohol, and [sugary foods](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/wellness\/nutrition\/choosing-healthy-carbs) can all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime.\n\n**Get help with stress management.** If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night, [learning how to handle stress](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/stress-management) in a productive way can help you sleep better at night.\n\n**Improve your sleep environment.** Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position.\n\n**Develop a relaxing bedtime routine.** Avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or [practicing a relaxation technique](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/stress\/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief) to prepare for sleep.\n\n**Postpone worrying.** If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and [postpone worrying](https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/mental-health\/anxiety\/how-to-stop-worrying)  about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.\n\n## More Information\n1. *Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep \\| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/health-information\/public-education\/brain-basics\/brain-basics-understanding-sleep)\n2. *How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? \\| cdc.gov*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/heart-disease\/about\/sleep-and-heart-health.html)\n3. *Jet Lag—PMC*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3086113\/)\n4. Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep\/Wake Behaviors. *Neuron*, 103(6), 1044-1055.e7.\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2019.07.026)\n5. Spadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study. *Sleep*, 42(11), zsz136.\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/sleep\/zsz136)\n6. *The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population \\| Scientific Reports*. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-020-62227-0)\n7. Watson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins. *Sleep*, 40(1).\n   [Link](https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/sleep\/zsw019)\n8. “Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*. DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013.\n   [Link](https:\/\/dsm.psychiatryonline.org\/doi\/full\/10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425787.x12_Sleep-Wake_Disorders)\n9. National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019.\n   [Link](https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/nih-research-matters\/gene-identified-people-who-need-little-sleep)","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

2 hours ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need
Last Crawled	2026-04-13 18:44:34 (2 hours ago)
First Indexed	2024-05-25 23:28:19 (1 year ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	How Much Sleep Do You Need? - HelpGuide.org
Meta Description	What are your nightly sleep needs? What does sleep do for your health? Explore why sleep is so important and how to make sure you're getting all that you need.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Why is sleep so important? The quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort! When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health. Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer. Myths and facts about sleep Myths and facts about sleep Myth: Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning. Fact: You may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections. Myth: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules. Fact: Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work. Myth: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue. Fact: The quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor. Myth: You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends. Fact: Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. Source: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health Speak to a Licensed Therapist BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. Take Assessment HelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site. Learn more Sleep needs There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation. Just because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed. While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap. Average sleep needs by age Age Hours needed May be appropriate Newborn to 3 months old 14 – 17 hrs 11 – 19 hrs 4 to 11 months old 12 – 15 hrs 10 – 18 hrs 1 to 2 years old 11 – 14 hrs 9 – 16 hrs 3 to 5 years old 10 – 13 hrs 8 – 14 hrs 6 to 13 years old 9 – 11 hrs 7 – 12 hrs 14 to 17 years old 8 – 10 hrs 7 – 11 hrs Young adults (18 to 25 years old) 7 – 9 hrs 6 – 11 hrs Adults (26 to 64 years old) 7 – 9 hrs 6 – 10 hrs Older adults (65+) 7 – 8 hrs 5 – 9 hrs Source: National Sleep Foundation The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime. Are 6 hours enough sleep? For most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it. The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep It’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the quality of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep. [Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles] Each stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, deep sleep (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting REM sleep are particularly important. You can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when REM sleep stages are longer. Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep If you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you. How is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate. [Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects] Furthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived. You may be sleep deprived if you… Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time. Rely on the snooze button. Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Feel sluggish in the afternoon. Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms. Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving. Need to nap to get through the day. Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening. Feel the need to sleep in on weekends. Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed. How to get the sleep that you need Whether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a specific sleep problem , or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following sleep tips . Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep. Rule out medical causes for your sleep problems. A sleep disturbance may be a symptom of a physical or mental health issue , or a side-effect of certain medications. Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. [Read: How to Sleep Better] Get regular exercise. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime. Be smart about what you eat and drink. Caffeine, alcohol, and sugary foods can all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime. Get help with stress management. If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night, learning how to handle stress in a productive way can help you sleep better at night. Improve your sleep environment. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or practicing a relaxation technique to prepare for sleep. Postpone worrying. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve. More Information Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep \| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke . (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from Link How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? \| cdc.gov . (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from Link Jet Lag—PMC . (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from Link Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep/Wake Behaviors. Neuron , 103(6), 1044-1055.e7. Link Spadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study. Sleep , 42(11), zsz136. Link The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population \| Scientific Reports . (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from Link Watson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins. Sleep , 40(1). Link “Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013. Link National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019. Link
Markdown	[![HelpGuide.org](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/Group-13075.svg)](https://www.helpguide.org/) - [Español](https://www.helpguide.org/es/sueno/cuanto-necesita-dormir) - [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [Meet Our Team](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/meet-our-team) - [Our Story](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/our-story) - [Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/jeanne-segal) - [Advisory Council](https://www.helpguide.org/professional-advisory-council) - [Contact Us](https://www.helpguide.org/contact-us) - [Resources](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) - [Harvard Health Partnership](https://www.helpguide.org/harvard) - [Audio Meditations](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/meditation) - [Newsletter](https://www.helpguide.org/newsletter) - [Helplines](https://www.helpguide.org/find-help) [Donate](https://give.helpguide.org/give/581002/#!/donation/checkout) [![HelpGuide.org](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/Logo-3.svg)](https://www.helpguide.org/) [Donate](https://give.helpguide.org/give/581002/#!/donation/checkout) - [Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) - [How to Sleep Better: Tips to Improve Sleep Quality](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) - [Sleep Disorders and Problems: Types, Causes, Treatment](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems) - [Sleep and Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-and-mental-health) - [How Sleeping Positions Can Affect Sleep Quality](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality) - [The Connection Between Sleep and ADHD](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/adhd-and-sleep) - [Parasomnias: Types, Causes, and Symptoms](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms) - [Sleep Statistics](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-statistics) - [Online Therapy: Is it Right for You?](https://www.helpguide.org/?p=130493) - [Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health) [Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health) - [ADHD](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/adhd) - [Addiction](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/addiction) - [Anxiety](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety) - [Bipolar Disorder](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/bipolar-disorder) - [Depression](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression) - [Eating Disorders](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/eating-disorders) - [Grief & Loss](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/grief) - [Personality Disorders](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/personality-disorders) - [PTSD & Trauma](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/ptsd-trauma) - [Schizophrenia](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/schizophrenia) - [Stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress) - [Suicide & Self-Harm](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/suicide-self-harm) - [Treatment](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/treatment) Featured [Coping with Depression](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression/coping-with-depression) Tips for overcoming depression one step at a time [![A woman in an orange dress strolls gracefully along a scenic path surrounded by greenery as she is coping with depression.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Coping-with-Depression-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression/coping-with-depression) [The Best Online Therapy Platforms](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/treatment/best-online-therapy) HelpGuide’s reviews of the best services [![Abstract illustration of a woman sitting on the floor, a hand reaching out to her from a computer screen, symbolizing the best online therapy services.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Online-Therapy-384x384.png)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/treatment/best-online-therapy) - [Health & Wellness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness) [Health & Wellness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness) - [Exercise & Fitness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/fitness) - [Nutrition](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition) - [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) - [Stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress) - [Well-being & Happiness](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing) - [Pets](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/pets) - [Weight Management](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/weight-loss) - [Work & Career](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/career) - [Illness & Disability](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/health-conditions) - [Heart Health](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/heart-health) - [Cancer](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/cancer) - [Sexual Health](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/sexual-health) Featured [Stress Management](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/stress-management) How to reduce, prevent, and relieve stress [![A person calmly displays a colorful bunch of flowers in front of a lush green backdrop, suggesting successful stress management.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Stress-Management-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/stress-management) [Insomnia: What to Do When You Can't Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/insomnia-causes-and-cures) The causes of insomnia, and what to do when you can’t sleep [![A woman in a denim shirt sits on a bed, looking out a window at city lights during the night.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Insomnia-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/insomnia-causes-and-cures) - [Children & Family](https://www.helpguide.org/family) [Children & Family](https://www.helpguide.org/family) - [Autism](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/autism) - [Learning Disabilities](https://www.helpguide.org/family/learning-disabilities) - [Family Caregiving](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving) - [Parenting](https://www.helpguide.org/family/parenting) - [Teen Issues](https://www.helpguide.org/family/young-adults) Featured [ADHD in Children](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/adhd/adhd-in-children) What Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder looks like in kids [![Two children wearing aviator goggles and hats glide on skateboards with arms outstretched, illustrating ADHD in children.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ADHD-in-Children-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/adhd/adhd-in-children) [Caregiver Stress and Caregiver Burnout](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving/caregiver-stress-and-burnout) Tips for regaining your energy, optimism, and hope [![Withered plant in a terracotta pot under harsh sunlight, representing caregiver burnout and depletion.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Caregiver-Burnout-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving/caregiver-stress-and-burnout) - [Relationships](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships) [Relationships](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships) - [Communication](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/communication) - [Emotional Intelligence](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/emotional-intelligence) - [Love & Friendship](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/social-connection) - [Domestic Abuse](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/domestic-abuse) - [Sexual Health](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/sexual-health) Featured [Setting Healthy Boundaries in Relationships](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/social-connection/setting-healthy-boundaries-in-relationships) Strengthen your connections and improve your self-esteem [![Two people stand either side of a red line, symbolizing setting boundaries in relationships.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Boundaries-384x256.png)](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/social-connection/setting-healthy-boundaries-in-relationships) [Improving Emotional Intelligence (EQ)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/emotional-intelligence-eq) Boost your EQ to help find happiness and success [![Two small wooden figures each walk inside their own large, circular band, representing improving emotional intelligence.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Improving-Emotional-Intelligence-384x257.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/emotional-intelligence-eq) - [Aging Well](https://www.helpguide.org/aging) [Aging Well](https://www.helpguide.org/aging) - [Healthy Aging](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/healthy-aging) - [Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/dementia) - [Family Caregiving](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving) - [End of Life](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/end-of-life) Featured [Depression in Older Adults](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression/depression-in-older-adults) Recognizing the signs and getting the right treatment [![A bush adorned with a contrast of orange and white flowers, showcasing the nature of depression in older adults](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Depression-in-Older-Adults-384x576.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression/depression-in-older-adults) [Aging Well](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/healthy-aging/staying-healthy-as-you-age) Tips to staying healthy as you get older [![Low-angle shot looking up into the expansive, sun-drenched canopy of a large oak tree against a clear blue sky, representing aging well.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Aging-Well-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/healthy-aging/staying-healthy-as-you-age) - [Screeners](https://www.helpguide.org/screening-tests/depression-test) - [Depression Test](https://www.helpguide.org/screening-tests/depression-test) - [Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health) - [Health & Wellness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness) - [Children & Family](https://www.helpguide.org/family) - [Relationships](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships) - [Aging Well](https://www.helpguide.org/aging) - [Screeners](https://www.helpguide.org/screening-tests/depression-test) - [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [Resources](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) - [Español](https://www.helpguide.org/es/sueno/cuanto-necesita-dormir) Return [Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health) - [ADHD](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/adhd) - [Addiction](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/addiction) - [Anxiety](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety) - [Bipolar Disorder](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/bipolar-disorder) - [Depression](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression) - [Eating Disorders](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/eating-disorders) - [Grief & Loss](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/grief) - [Personality Disorders](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/personality-disorders) - [PTSD & Trauma](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/ptsd-trauma) - [Schizophrenia](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/schizophrenia) - [Stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress) - [Suicide & Self-Harm](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/suicide-self-harm) - [Treatment](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/treatment) Return [Health & Wellness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness) - [Exercise & Fitness](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/fitness) - [Nutrition](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition) - [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) - [Stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress) - [Well-being & Happiness](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing) - [Pets](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/pets) - [Weight Management](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/weight-loss) - [Work & Career](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/career) - [Illness & Disability](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/health-conditions) - [Heart Health](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/heart-health) - [Cancer](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/cancer) - [Sexual Health](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/sexual-health) Return [Children & Family](https://www.helpguide.org/family) - [Autism](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/autism) - [Learning Disabilities](https://www.helpguide.org/family/learning-disabilities) - [Family Caregiving](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving) - [Parenting](https://www.helpguide.org/family/parenting) - [Teen Issues](https://www.helpguide.org/family/young-adults) Return [Relationships](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships) - [Communication](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/communication) - [Emotional Intelligence](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/emotional-intelligence) - [Love & Friendship](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/social-connection) - [Domestic Abuse](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/domestic-abuse) - [Sexual Health](https://www.helpguide.org/relationships/sexual-health) Return [Aging Well](https://www.helpguide.org/aging) - [Healthy Aging](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/healthy-aging) - [Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/dementia) - [Family Caregiving](https://www.helpguide.org/family/caregiving) - [End of Life](https://www.helpguide.org/aging/end-of-life) Return [Screeners](https://www.helpguide.org/screening-tests/depression-test) - [Depression Test](https://www.helpguide.org/screening-tests/depression-test) Return [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [Meet Our Team](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/meet-our-team) - [Our Story](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/our-story) Return [Resources](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) - [Harvard Health Partnership](https://www.helpguide.org/harvard) - [Audio Meditations](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/meditation) - [Newsletter](https://www.helpguide.org/newsletter) - [Helplines](https://www.helpguide.org/find-help) Why is sleep so important? - Why is sleep so important? - Myths and facts about sleep - Sleep needs - The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep - Signs that you're not getting enough sleep - How to get the sleep that you need [Home](https://www.helpguide.org/) [Choose a Therapist](https://www.helpguide.org/) ### Choose a Therapist This therapist directory is offered in partnership with BetterHelp. If you sign up for therapy after clicking through from this site, HelpGuide will earn a commission. This helps us continue our nonprofit mission and continue to be there as a free mental health resource for everyone. Need to talk to someone now? [Find a crisis helpline](https://www.helpguide.org/find-help) If you're a BetterHelp therapist with questions about your directory listing, please contact [therapists@betterhelp.com](mailto:therapists@betterhelp.com) Need to talk to someone now? [Find a crisis helpline](https://www.helpguide.org/find-help) [Are You Feeling Suicidal? How to Cope with Thoughts of Suicide](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/suicide-self-harm/are-you-feeling-suicidal) [![depression-helpline](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/plugins/helpguide-core-functionality/assets/images/svg/depression-helpline.svg) Coping with depression Tips for overcoming depression one step at a time](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/depression/coping-with-depression) [![generalized-helpline](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/plugins/helpguide-core-functionality/assets/images/svg/generalized-helpline.svg) Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms, treatment, and self-help for chronic anxiety](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) # How Much Sleep Do You Need? Last updated on February 4, 2026 What are your nightly sleep needs? Why is sleep so important? By better understanding your body’s needs, you can improve your sleep habits and the quality of your waking life. ![Hand reaches out to touch a glowing sunrise alarm clock on a bedside table as someone sleeps in the background.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-Much-Sleep-Do-You-Need-1200x798.jpeg) By [Melinda Smith, M.A.](https://www.helpguide.org/bio/melinda-smith-ma) and [Lawrence Robinson](https://www.helpguide.org/bio/lawrence-robinson) - Why is sleep so important? - Myths and facts about sleep - Sleep needs - The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep - Signs that you're not getting enough sleep - How to get the sleep that you need ## Why is sleep so important? The quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort\! When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health. Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer. ## Myths and facts about sleep ### Myths and facts about sleep ###### Myth: Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning. ###### Fact: You may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections. ###### Myth: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules. ###### Fact: Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work. ###### Myth: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue. ###### Fact: The quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor. ###### Myth: You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends. ###### Fact: Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. Source: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health #### Speak to a Licensed Therapist BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. [Take Assessment](https://hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide) HelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site. [Learn more](https://www.helpguide.org/affiliate-disclosure) ## Sleep needs There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for [chronic sleep deprivation.](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) Just because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed. While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap. ### Average sleep needs by age \| Age \| Hours needed \| May be appropriate \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Newborn to 3 months old \| 14 – 17 hrs \| 11 – 19 hrs \| \| 4 to 11 months old \| 12 – 15 hrs \| 10 – 18 hrs \| \| 1 to 2 years old \| 11 – 14 hrs \| 9 – 16 hrs \| \| 3 to 5 years old \| 10 – 13 hrs \| 8 – 14 hrs \| \| 6 to 13 years old \| 9 – 11 hrs \| 7 – 12 hrs \| \| 14 to 17 years old \| 8 – 10 hrs \| 7 – 11 hrs \| \| Young adults (18 to 25 years old) \| 7 – 9 hrs \| 6 – 11 hrs \| \| Adults (26 to 64 years old) \| 7 – 9 hrs \| 6 – 10 hrs \| \| Older adults (65+) \| 7 – 8 hrs \| 5 – 9 hrs \| Source: National Sleep Foundation The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime. ### Are 6 hours enough sleep? For most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it. ## The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep It’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the quality of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep. [\[Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/stages-of-sleep) Each stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, deep sleep (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting REM sleep are particularly important. You can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when [REM sleep stages](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/stages-of-sleep#dreaming) are longer. ## Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep If you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you. How is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate. [\[Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) Furthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived. ### You may be sleep deprived if you… - Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time. - Rely on the snooze button. - Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. - Feel sluggish in the afternoon. - Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms. - Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving. - Need to nap to get through the day. - Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening. - Feel the need to sleep in on weekends. - Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed. ## How to get the sleep that you need Whether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a [specific sleep problem](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems), or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following [sleep tips](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep). Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep. Rule out medical causes for your sleep problems. A sleep disturbance may be a [symptom of a physical or mental health issue](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/medical-causes-of-sleep-problems), or a side-effect of certain medications. Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. [\[Read: How to Sleep Better\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) Get regular exercise. [Regular exercise](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/fitness/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise) can improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime. Be smart about what you eat and drink. Caffeine, alcohol, and [sugary foods](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition/choosing-healthy-carbs) can all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime. Get help with stress management. If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night, [learning how to handle stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/stress-management) in a productive way can help you sleep better at night. Improve your sleep environment. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or [practicing a relaxation technique](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief) to prepare for sleep. Postpone worrying. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and [postpone worrying](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety/how-to-stop-worrying) about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve. ## More Information References 1. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep \\| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep) 2. How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? \\| cdc.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/sleep-and-heart-health.html) 3. Jet Lag—PMC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3086113/) 4. Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep/Wake Behaviors. Neuron, 103(6), 1044-1055.e7. [Link](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.026) 5. Spadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study. Sleep, 42(11), zsz136. [Link](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz136) 6. The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population \\| Scientific Reports. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62227-0) 7. Watson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins. Sleep, 40(1). [Link](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw019) 8. “Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013. [Link](https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x12_Sleep-Wake_Disorders) 9. National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019. [Link](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/gene-identified-people-who-need-little-sleep) [Copy Link](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) Link copied\! Share Print Download PDF ## More in Sleep [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep Deprivation](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) How lack of sleep can damage your health [![Three white espresso and coffee cups with saucers in small, medium, and large sizes on a wooden shelf.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sleep-Deprivation-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [How to Sleep Better](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) Tips to improve sleep quality [![Fuzzy pink blanket on a bed with grey pillows and warm string lights glowing in the background.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-to-Sleep-Better-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep Disorders and Problems](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems) Types, causes, symptoms, and treatment for common sleep problems [![Silhouette of a person with long hair looking at a small, bright moon in a dark blue twilight sky.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Sleep-Disorders-384x216.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep and Mental Health](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-and-mental-health) How they’re closely connected [![A woman is seated rigidly on the edge of a bed after a restless night, staring at a window, illustrating the link between sleep and mental health.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Sleep-and-Mental-Health-384x256.png)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-and-mental-health) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleeping Positions and Sleep Quality](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality) How sleep position can impact how well you rest [![A man and woman sleep side by side in a cosy, comfortable bed, illustrating how sleeping positions can affect sleep quality.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-Sleeping-Positions-Can-Affect-Sleep-Quality-384x255.jpg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-positions-and-sleep-quality) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [The Connection Between Sleep and ADHD](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/adhd-and-sleep) How sleep impacts ADHD [![A woman struggles to sleep in a cozy bed, surrounded by soft pillows and blankets, illustrating the connection between sleep and ADHD.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Connection-Between-Sleep-and-ADHD-384x258.jpg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/adhd-and-sleep) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Parasomnias](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms) Types, causes, and symptoms [![A man standing in front of a cloud-filled doorway.](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Parasomnias-Types-Causes-And-Symptoms-384x256.jpg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/parasomnias-types-causes-and-symptoms) [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep Statistics](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-statistics) How sleep impacts health and well-being [![Alarm clock resting on a bed side table](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sleep-Statistics-384x256.jpeg)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-statistics) Share Download PDF ### More in Sleep [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep Deprivation](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) How lack of sleep can damage your health [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [How to Sleep Better](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) Tips to improve sleep quality [Sleep](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep) ### [Sleep Disorders and Problems](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems) Types, causes, symptoms, and treatment for common sleep problems ![](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/therapy-sidebar-384x229.jpg) #### Professional therapy, done online BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist. [Take Assessment](https://hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide) [HelpGuide is user supported. We may earn a commission from links you follow.](https://www.helpguide.org/affiliate-disclosure) ## Help us help others Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives. [Donate to HelpGuide.org today](https://give.helpguide.org/give/581002/#!/donation/checkout) [![HelpGuide.org](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/Group-13075.svg)](https://www.helpguide.org/) - [About Us](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us) - [Meet Our Team](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/meet-our-team) - [Our Story](https://www.helpguide.org/about-us/our-story) - [Advisory Council](https://www.helpguide.org/professional-advisory-council) - [Resources](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) - [Harvard Health](https://www.helpguide.org/harvard) - [Meditation](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/meditation) - [Newsletter](https://www.helpguide.org/newsletter) - [Get In Touch](https://www.helpguide.org/contact-us) - [Contact Us](https://www.helpguide.org/contact-us) 515 S Flower St Ste 1800 Los Angeles CA 90071 [![Guidestar Platinum Transparency 2021](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/candid-seal-platinum-2022-1.png)](https://www.guidestar.org/profile/45-4510670) [![Great Nonprofits 2021 Top Rated](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Group-13103-1.png)](https://greatnonprofits.org/org/helpguide) [![HONcode standard for trustworthy health information](https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/badge-2.png)](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need) ##### Join Our Newsletter Mental health and wellness tips, our latest guides, resources, and more. ##### Mental Health Helplines Are you or someone you know in crisis? Find helplines and other resources around the world. [Get Help](https://www.helpguide.org/find-help) ©1999-2026 HelpGuide.org All rights reserved. HELPGUIDE.ORG INTERNATIONAL is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization (ID \#45-4510670). Our content does not constitute a medical or psychological consultation. See a certified medical or mental health professional for diagnosis. [Learn more](https://www.helpguide.org/terms-of-use). - [Terms of Use](https://www.helpguide.org/terms-of-use) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.helpguide.org/privacy-policy) - [Cookies Policy](https://www.helpguide.org/cookie-policy) - [Affiliate Policy](https://www.helpguide.org/affiliate-disclosure)
Readable Markdown	## Why is sleep so important? The quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort\! When you’re scrambling to meet the demands of a busy schedule, though, or just finding it hard to sleep at night, getting by on less hours may seem like a good solution. But even minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health. Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. By addressing any sleep problems and making time to get the sleep you need each night, your energy, efficiency, and overall health will go up. In fact, you’ll likely get much more done during the day than if you were skimping on shuteye and trying to work longer. ## Myths and facts about sleep ### Myths and facts about sleep ###### Myth: Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning. ###### Fact: You may not be noticeably sleepy during the day, but losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections. ###### Myth: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules. ###### Fact: Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work. ###### Myth: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue. ###### Fact: The quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor. ###### Myth: You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends. ###### Fact: Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. Source: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep, The National Institutes of Health #### Speak to a Licensed Therapist BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. [Take Assessment](https://hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2729&source=helpguide) HelpGuide is user supported. We earn a commission if you sign up for BetterHelp’s services after clicking through from this site. [Learn more](https://www.helpguide.org/affiliate-disclosure) ## Sleep needs There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for [chronic sleep deprivation.](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) Just because you’re able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn’t mean you wouldn’t feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed. While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap. ### Average sleep needs by age \| Age \| Hours needed \| May be appropriate \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| Newborn to 3 months old \| 14 – 17 hrs \| 11 – 19 hrs \| \| 4 to 11 months old \| 12 – 15 hrs \| 10 – 18 hrs \| \| 1 to 2 years old \| 11 – 14 hrs \| 9 – 16 hrs \| \| 3 to 5 years old \| 10 – 13 hrs \| 8 – 14 hrs \| \| 6 to 13 years old \| 9 – 11 hrs \| 7 – 12 hrs \| \| 14 to 17 years old \| 8 – 10 hrs \| 7 – 11 hrs \| \| Young adults (18 to 25 years old) \| 7 – 9 hrs \| 6 – 11 hrs \| \| Adults (26 to 64 years old) \| 7 – 9 hrs \| 6 – 10 hrs \| \| Older adults (65+) \| 7 – 8 hrs \| 5 – 9 hrs \| Source: National Sleep Foundation The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re logging enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime. ### Are 6 hours enough sleep? For most people, no. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it. ## The importance of deep sleep and REM sleep It’s not just the number of hours you spend asleep that’s important—it’s the quality of those hours. If you give yourself plenty of time for sleep but still have trouble waking up in the morning or staying alert all day, you may not be spending enough time in the different stages of sleep. [\[Read: The Science of Sleep: Stages and Cycles\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/stages-of-sleep) Each stage of sleep in your sleep cycle offers different benefits. However, deep sleep (the time when the body repairs itself and builds up energy for the day ahead) and mind and mood-boosting REM sleep are particularly important. You can ensure you get more deep sleep by avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and being woken during the night by noise or light. While improving your overall sleep will increase REM sleep, you can also try sleeping an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning, when [REM sleep stages](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/stages-of-sleep#dreaming) are longer. ## Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep If you’re getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you. How is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate. [\[Read: Sleep Deprivation: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-deprivation) Furthermore, if you’ve made a habit of skimping on sleep, you may not even remember what it feels like to be truly wide-awake, fully alert, and firing on all cylinders. Maybe it feels normal to get sleepy when you’re in a boring meeting, struggling through the afternoon slump, or dozing off after dinner, but the truth is that it’s only “normal” if you’re sleep deprived. ### You may be sleep deprived if you… - Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time. - Rely on the snooze button. - Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. - Feel sluggish in the afternoon. - Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms. - Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving. - Need to nap to get through the day. - Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening. - Feel the need to sleep in on weekends. - Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed. ## How to get the sleep that you need Whether you’re looking to fix your sleep schedule, resolve a [specific sleep problem](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/sleep-disorders-and-problems), or just want to feel more productive and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following [sleep tips](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep). Experiment to see which work best in helping you get a good night’s sleep. Rule out medical causes for your sleep problems. A sleep disturbance may be a [symptom of a physical or mental health issue](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/medical-causes-of-sleep-problems), or a side-effect of certain medications. Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. [\[Read: How to Sleep Better\]](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/sleep/getting-better-sleep) Get regular exercise. [Regular exercise](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/fitness/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise) can improve the symptoms of many sleep disorders and problems. Aim for 30 minutes or more of activity on most days—but not too close to bedtime. Be smart about what you eat and drink. Caffeine, alcohol, and [sugary foods](https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition/choosing-healthy-carbs) can all disrupt your sleep, as can eating heavy meals or drinking lots of fluids too close to bedtime. Get help with stress management. If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake at night, [learning how to handle stress](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/stress-management) in a productive way can help you sleep better at night. Improve your sleep environment. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, and reserve your bed for just sleeping and sex. Changing your pillow or adding a foam topper could make your bed more comfortable, while a new mattress or even an adjustable bed could be more suited to your sleeping position. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Avoid screens, work, and stressful conversations late at night. Instead, wind down and calm your mind by taking a warm bath, reading by a dim light, or [practicing a relaxation technique](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief) to prepare for sleep. Postpone worrying. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and [postpone worrying](https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety/how-to-stop-worrying) about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve. ## More Information 1. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep \\| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep) 2. How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health? \\| cdc.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/sleep-and-heart-health.html) 3. Jet Lag—PMC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3086113/) 4. Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S. Y. C., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y.-H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep/Wake Behaviors. Neuron, 103(6), 1044-1055.e7. [Link](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2019.07.026) 5. Spadola, C. E., Guo, N., Johnson, D. A., Sofer, T., Bertisch, S. M., Jackson, C. L., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., Wilson, J. G., & Redline, S. (2019). Evening intake of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine: Night-to-night associations with sleep duration and continuity among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Sleep Study. Sleep, 42(11), zsz136. [Link](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz136) 6. The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population \\| Scientific Reports. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from [Link](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62227-0) 7. Watson, N., Buchwald, D., Delrow, J., Altemeier, W., Vitiello, M., Pack, A., Bamshad, M., Noonan, C., & Gharib, S. (2017). Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins. Sleep, 40(1). [Link](https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw019) 8. “Sleep-Wake Disorders.” In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. DSM Library. American Psychiatric Association, 2013. [Link](https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x12_Sleep-Wake_Disorders) 9. National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Gene Identified in People Who Need Little Sleep,” September 16, 2019. [Link](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/gene-identified-people-who-need-little-sleep)
Shard	121 (laksa)
Root Hash	10679577116146527521
Unparsed URL	org,helpguide!www,/wellness/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need s443