Getting enough sleep is essential for your health. However, the amount of sleep you need varies depending on your age, gender, activity level, and even your genes. Children and teenagers typically require more sleep than adults.
Over two years, the National Sleep Foundation conducted extensive research to determine the guidelines for how much sleep is required for specific age groups:
| Age group | Recommended sleep | Insufficient sleep | Oversleeping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborns (-3 months) | 14-17 hours | ≤11 hours | ≥19 hours |
| Infants (4-11 months) | 12-15 hours | ≤10 hours | ≥18 hours |
| Toddlers (1-2 years) | 11-14 hours | ≤9 hours | ≥16 hours |
| Preschoolers (3-5 years) | 10-13 hours | ≤8 hours | ≥14 hours |
| School-aged children (6-13 years) | 9-12 hours | ≤7 hours | ≥12 hours |
| Teens (14-17 years) | 8-10 hours | ≤7 hours | ≥11 hours |
| Young adults (18-25 years) | 7-9 hours | ≤6 hours | ≥11 hours |
| Adults (26-64 years) | 7-9 hours | ≤6 hours | ≥10 hours |
| Seniors (65 years and older) | 7-8 hours | ≤5 hours | ≥9 hours |
Sleep has a greater impact on you than you may realize. Your sleep quality has a direct impact on how you feel during the day, as well as your physical and mental health. Here are a few reasons why getting a good night's sleep is crucial:
If you don't get enough sleep regularly, you may develop sleep deprivation. If this is the case, your body will most likely send signals that you need more sleep. Symptoms include:
Chronic sleep deprivation can cause obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and even mental illness. Adequate rest can help prevent these issues and is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle.
Sleep is a complex physiological process and the following factors can disrupt sleep quality:
If you are having trouble sleeping, try the following tips:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Sleep Do I Need? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
Suni E. How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
Start Sleeping. The Importance of Sleep. https://startsleeping.org/sleep-needs/#needs
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Benzodiazepine is the name of a class of drugs in the US. They belong to a class of man-made drugs prescribed to treat anxiety, nervousness, panic attacks, seizures, muscle spasms, and insomnia. Lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), and diazepam (Valium) are examples of benzodiazepines.
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Sleep needs vary from child to child, and not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. Sleep guidelines by age can help ensure your child gets the proper amount of sleep to avoid health problems related to not sleeping enough or sleeping too much.
Insomnia is trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. The three types of insomnia include transient insomnia, short-term insomnia, and chronic insomnia.
Hypnotics are sleep medications used to treat different types of insomnia. There are a variety of hypnotic drugs, and they are grouped into five types. Benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepines, selective melatonin agonists (these three drug types are classified as sedatives), antidepressants, and an orexin receptor agonist. Some hypnotics can be addictive and may cause withdrawal symptoms if discontinued abruptly.
Do not drink alcohol while taking hypnotic drugs. Stimulants like caffeine or amphetamines reduce the effect of insomnia medications.
Your doctor or other health care professional will recommend the type of hypnotic drug for you depending upon the type of sleep problem you have, your current lifestyle habits, other medications you are taking, and any other medical problems you may have.
FDA. "Sleep Disorder (Sedative-Hypnotic) Drug Information." Updated: Jun 13, 2017.
Chawala, J, MD. "Insomnia Medication." Medscape. Updated: Aug 01, 2016.
Valerian root is one of the most popular alternatives to sleep medications. While valerian is a herb, Xanax and Valium are considered benzodiazepines (benzos).
Several vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. The National Institutes of Health recommends about 7-9 hours of sleep each night for older, school-aged children, teens, and most average adults; 10-12 for preschool-aged children; and 16-18 hours for newborns. There are two stages of sleep: 1) REM sleep (rapid-eye movement), and 2) NREM sleep (non-rapid-eye movement).
Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea (OSA), and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain's failure to activate breathing muscles during sleep. OSA is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep. OSA is diagnosed and evaluated through patient history, physical examination, and polysomnography. There are many complications related to obstructive sleep apnea. Treatments are surgical and non-surgical.
Sleep is a mystery to many of us, but scientists know quite a bit about how it affects us. Here's what happens to your body when you fall asleep.
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Biological clocks control much of human biology, including aging, hormones, sleep, fertility, and seasonal cycles. The body clock controls circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle that governs biological processes in humans, animals, plants, and even bacteria. Science says maintaining healthy circadian rhythms may protect against chronic conditions.
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Valerian is an herbal supplement made from Valeriana species of perennial plants, used as a mild sleep aid in people with insomnia. It's also used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, depression, epilepsy, infantile convulsions, menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps, restlessness, and tremors. Do not use valerian if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not give valerian to children younger than 3 years of age. Common side effects of valerian include allergic reactions, headache, dizziness, stomach upset, heart disturbances, uneasiness, excitability, mental dullness, drowsiness, and others.
Wild jujube fruit, seed, and leaf have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine systems for years in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, gastrointestinal and other ailments, however, scientific research to back most of the uses is lacking. Wild jujube may lower blood sugar. Use with caution if you are diabetic and taking antidiabetic drugs. Stop taking wild jujube at least 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery. Common side effects of wild jujube include drowsiness and decrease in blood glucose level (hypoglycemia). Avoid the medicinal use of wild jujube products if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
