How much sleep do you really need? It depends on your age.
Find your ideal time to sleep or wake up
Calculate my sleep cycles β| Age Group | Recommended | Acceptable |
|---|---|---|
| Newborns (0-3 mo) | 14-17 hours | 11-19 hours |
| Infants (4-11 mo) | 12-15 hours | 10-18 hours |
| Toddlers (1-2 yr) | 11-14 hours | 9-16 hours |
| Preschool (3-5 yr) | 10-13 hours | 8-14 hours |
| School age (6-13 yr) | 9-11 hours | 7-12 hours |
| Teenagers (14-17 yr) | 8-10 hours | 7-11 hours |
| Young adults (18-25 yr) | 7-9 hours | 6-11 hours |
| Adults (26-64 yr) | 7-9 hours | 6-10 hours |
| Older adults (65+ yr) | 7-8 hours | 5-9 hours |
Source: National Sleep Foundation
Sleeping 8 hours but waking up 5 times is worse than sleeping 6.5 hours straight. Sleep quality depends on completing full 90-minute cycles without interruptions. Factors like room temperature, noise, light, and stress all affect sleep quality.
The best way to know if you're sleeping enough is not a number on a chart, but how you feel: if you wake up without an alarm and feel rested, you're probably getting the right amount of sleep for your body.