How Much Sleep Should You Get? Here’s What the Science Says

Optimal sleep duration depends primarily on age, ranging from 14–17 hours for newborns down to 7–8 hours for older adults, with the CDC recommending 7 to 9 hours per night for adults aged 18 to 64. Getting fewer than seven hours of sleep per night impairs cognitive performance, memory, and emotional regulation, while increasing long-term risks to heart and mental health. Key strategies for prioritizing sleep include maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, limiting caffeine after 2 p.m., avoiding screens 30 minutes before bed, and keeping the bedroom between 60°F and 67°F.

We all know getting quality sleep is crucial for the health of your body—but a lack of sleep, or irregular sleep schedule, can harm your mental health and make it impossible to focus on tasks during the day. Sleep can affect everything from your energy levels to your memory and can even increase anxiety and stress. 

The thing is, there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for how many Z’s you should be catching on any given night. In fact, the amount of sleep you should be getting really depends on your age—and other factors like gender and lifestyle play a role too. 

To make it easy for you, we’re breaking down exactly how much sleep you need according to your age and sharing tips on how you can make sleep a priority going forward.

How much sleep do you need?

In general, the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

How, exactly, was that number established? It turns out sleep has been one of the most researched subjects by scientists over the last century—so there’s plenty of information available to back up this stat. 

When scientists study the amount of sleep people need by age, they took a few factors into consideration. Usually, they look at the memory and cognitive functions of the people they’re studying, based on the number of hours they spend asleep. 

For newborns, toddlers, and children, scientists also study their health as it relates to how well they’re growing for their age group. Based on the results, researchers have been able to determine a recommended set number of hours to sleep per age group. 

Sleep recommendations by age

Check out this table for a quick breakdown of how many hours of sleep you should be working towards, depending on your age.

Age Group	Age Range	Recommended Amount of Sleep
Newborns	0-3 months old	14-17 hours of sleep
Infants	4-11 months old	12-15 hours of sleep
Toddlers	1-2 years old	11-14 hours of sleep
Pre-schoolers	3-5 years old	10-13 hours of sleep
School-aged kids	6-13 years old	9-11 hours of sleep
Teenagers	14-17 years old	8-10 hours of sleep
Young adults	18-25 years old	7-9 hours of sleep
Adults	26-64 years old	7-9 hours of sleep
Older adults	65+ years old	7-8 hours of sleep

Here are the requested sections formatted with sentence-case headings and without ampersands:

How it works

The body relies on sleep to repair tissue, consolidate memory, regulate hormones, and restore mental focus. Sleep requirements are governed primarily by biological age, which dictates how many hours your brain and body need each day to function optimally. As you transition from infancy to adulthood, your developmental needs shift, steadily reducing the total amount of sleep necessary to maintain health and daily cognitive performance.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Improves mental clarity: Meeting daily sleep goals enhances focus, memory retention, and cognitive performance.
• Supports long-term health: Consistent sleep protects heart health, balances mood, and reduces anxiety.
• Provides clear guidelines: Age-based recommendations make it easy to set clear targets for every family member.

Cons

• Individual variation: Factors like gender, lifestyle, and overall health mean optimal sleep amounts can still vary.
• Requires lifestyle adjustments: Achieving continuous rest often requires strict discipline around caffeine, screen time, and schedules.
• Does not address clinical sleep disorders: Following general guidelines may not resolve underlying issues like insomnia or sleep apnea without medical guidance.

Who it’s for

This guide is for anyone looking to understand age-appropriate sleep needs and improve their overall health through better sleep habits. It is especially useful for parents tracking children’s growth and developmental requirements, adults striving to improve daily focus, and anyone working to establish a healthy bedtime routine.

FAQs

Is 5 hours of sleep enough?

In short, no. Experts recommend at least seven hours for your body and mind to function at their best. 

A 2018 study published in the journal Sleep found that “cognitive performance, measured using a set of 12 well-established tests, is impaired in people who reported typically sleeping less, or more, than seven to eight hours per night.” Even scarier, “a self-reported typical sleep duration of four hours per night was equivalent to aging eight years,” according to the study. 

It’s imperative to your health to try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night; not doing so can have drastic effects on your health in the long run. 

Is it better to get 6 or 8 hours of sleep?

It’s definitely better to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Any amount of sleep less than seven hours can have long-lasting impacts on your health. Continued lack of sleep may have a direct impact on your heart health, mental health, and more. 

How much sleep do you need by age?

Here’s a look at how much sleep you should be getting, depending on how old you are: 

• Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
• Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
• Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
• Pre-schoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
• School-aged kids (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
• Teens (14-17 years): 8-10 hours
• Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours
• Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours
• Older adults (65+ years): 7-8 hours

Following an all-nighter, how much sleep should you get?

All-nighters are extremely disorienting, and you’ll probably feel the negative effects of pulling one immediately. If you want to get back on your sleep schedule after staying up all night, the best way to do so is to aim to resume your regular sleep schedule right away. 

If you’re feeling extremely exhausted, you can try taking a quick nap that’s no longer than 30 minutes. This will help give you enough energy to get through the day and make it to nighttime. Then, resume your regular bedtime schedule at night. 

What proportion of your sleep should be deep sleep?

Deep sleep, also known as “slow-wave sleep,” is the most restorative stage of sleep and should account for about 75% of the time you spend sleeping at night. Unlike rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, deep sleep slows down your heart rate, breathing, and eye movement. 

Deep sleep is when your body repairs itself. If you feel like you’re constantly waking up throughout the night, try tiring yourself out more during the day and then creating a wind-down routine to teach your body it’s time for bed.

Can you catch up on sleep on the weekends?

While sleeping in on weekends might temporarily relieve feelings of exhaustion, it cannot fully reverse the chronic effects of sleep deprivation. Irregular weekend sleep schedules disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night and leading to “social jetlag” during the workweek.

What are the main signs you are not getting enough sleep?

Common indicators of sleep deprivation include persistent daytime fatigue, difficulty focusing, irritability, frequent mood shifts, and heightened stress. You may also notice an increased dependence on caffeine, slower reaction times, a weakened immune system, and stronger cravings for high-calorie foods.

How does mattress quality affect sleep health?

A supportive, comfortable mattress maintains proper spinal alignment, relieves pressure points, and prevents tossing and turning throughout the night. Upgrading to a mattress tailored to your specific sleep position helps reduce night awakenings and promotes longer periods of deep, restorative sleep.

Is sleeping too much bad for your health?

Yes, consistently sleeping more than nine or ten hours per night as an adult can be associated with health risks. Over-sleeping is linked to daytime lethargy, cognitive impairment, increased inflammation, and underlying conditions such as depression or sleep apnea.

How long does it take to reset your sleep schedule?

Resetting your circadian rhythm typically takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks of consistent habits. Sticking to a fixed wake-up time, getting morning sunlight exposure, and limiting light exposure and caffeine before bed accelerate this transition.

How to make sleep a priority

Just because you know how important it is to catch quality Z’s doesn’t mean getting the sleep you need will always come easily. To help improve your sleep habits so you can reach that magic number of seven to nine hours per night, try these expert-proven tips.

Stick to a regular sleep schedule, even on the weekends 

We know it can be tempting to sleep until 11 on the weekends if you stayed out late the night before—but it’s not worth the toll it’ll take on your sleep schedule for the week. If you have an existing sleep schedule and wind-down routine set in place, it’ll be easier to stay on track without having to overthink it at times when it feels hardest to do so.

Add relaxing activities to your nighttime routine

One of the most effective ways to get quality sleep is to create a relaxing bedtime routine and stick with it. A few easy ways to unwind before bed include practicing deep breathing, stretching out your body, and creating a to-do list for the next day to ease anxious thoughts. 

Avoid caffeine and alcohol too close to bedtime

Although alcohol may help you drift off to sleep faster, the quality of the sleep you receive will be severely diminished. Coffee could also be the secret culprit ruining your sleep at night. Experts recommend avoiding it after 2 p.m. 

Set your bedroom to the right temperature 

Experts agree 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature range for quality sleep at night. Your body heat rises at night, and if your bedroom is set to a temperature that’s too warm, you may wake up or stir throughout the night. So lower the temperature in your bedroom for more comfortable sleep. 

Stay off your phone before bed

This rule is perhaps the most difficult to abide by, but it’s one of the most important things to master. Staring at blue light before you go to bed will confuse your body’s natural circadian rhythm so that it doesn’t know it’s to wind down. Your best bet is to shut your phone off at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.

Improve your sleep with these Saatva mattresses

This carousel automatically rotates through products. Use the pause button to stop rotation, or use the slide dots to navigate.

Saatva Classic Innerspring Mattress Shop Now

Our flagship luxury mattress is expertly engineered with coil-on-coil construction for durability, a layer of memory foam for enhanced back support, and a cushiony Euro pillow top for extra comfort.

Contour5 Mattress Shop Now

Luxurious body-hugging feel and pressure relief with 3” of ultra-premium, high-density 5-lb memory foam.

Zenhaven Latex Mattress Shop Now

Natural latex responds to every curve for pressure-free support and responsive comfort. Natural latex is supple, resilient, and durable, for the ultimate in elevated sleep. (It’s naturally hypoallergenic too.)

Upgrade your mattress and bedding 

Your mattress and bedding can go a long way toward improving your sleep. If you’re sleeping on a mattress that isn’t comfortable, chances are you won’t get quality sleep. 

Saatva has a range of high-quality mattresses and bedding to suit your sleep style. Take our mattress quiz to find out what’s best for your sleep needs, then take advantage of our 365-night trial to try one out at home for improved sleep.