How Much Sleep You Need According to Your Age

Sleep requirements change throughout our lives, from infancy to old age. Each stage of life brings a unique need for sleep, influenced by growth, development, and cognitive demands.

Newborns and Babies

Newborns (0-3 months) typically sleep 14 to 17 hours per day. This high sleep requirement stems from their need to adjust to life outside the womb and support rapid growth and development. In this stage, sleep is crucial for both physical growth—babies triple their weight in the first year—and for forming new neural connections.

By the time babies are 4-12 months old, their sleep needs slightly decrease to 12-16 hours. This shift is due to the development of circadian rhythms, which help regulate their sleep-wake cycles in alignment with the day-night pattern.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

As babies grow into toddlers (1-2 years), their sleep needs decrease to 11-14 hours. By preschool age (3-5 years), it drops further to 10-13 hours. This reduction is linked to slower growth rates, though cognitive demands remain high. Sleep at this stage consolidates learning, particularly basic skills like language and social recognition.

By 18 months, toddlers usually require only one nap a day, lasting 1-3 hours. However, some preschoolers may still need naps, especially if their sleep is disrupted by nightmares or fears, though napping needs vary greatly among children.

Kids and Teens

Children aged 6-12 years need about 9-12 hours of sleep, but naps are no longer necessary. During adolescence (13-18 years), sleep requirements shift to 8-10 hours per night, but many teens experience a delayed sleep drive, making them go to bed and wake up later. This can lead to challenges with early school start times, potentially resulting in sleep deprivation and the need for catch-up sleep.

Adults

Once physical and cognitive development is complete in adulthood, the recommended sleep duration decreases to 7-8 hours per night. Adults needing significantly more sleep may have underlying sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, which disrupts sleep due to breathing interruptions throughout the night, leading to poor sleep quality.