So far, the optimal sleep duration was about six to eight hours. But, this doesn’t apply to all ages. A newborn needs about 17 hours sleep per day, whereas people 65+ sometimes only need five hours.
The “National Sleep Foundation” has published a recommendation of sleep duration for all ages:
Newborn (0-3 months)
The ideal sleep duration of babies in the age of up to three months are 14 to 17 hours per day. Like always this can’t be generalized. Some babies only need eleven hours, some need 19 hours of sleep. This large amount is necessary because the body is releasing growth hormones during sleep and these growth hormones are important for the physical development. Of course, learning also takes place during sleeping.
Infants (4-11 months)
Already after a quarter the sleep rhythm of babies is regular. Sometimes they sleep the whole night through and the sleeping phases during the day decrease. The optimal sleep duration is about 15 hours, but this may vary. There are also infants with a sleep need of only ten hours. Since sleep is very important for the immune-system, especially for children, ten hours of sleep is the minimum.
Toddler (1-2 years)
Small children, too, should not sleep less than ten hours. Often, lack of sleep is balanced by hyperactivity. Ideal sleep duration at this age is 12 to 15 hours.
Children at kindergarten age (3-5 years)
Like British scientists noticed, it may lead to behavioural problems when children at this age sleep less than eight hours.
School children (6-13 years)
A study of the University Tübingen, Germany, revealed that school children become smarter the longer they sleep. Since the brain is saving and processing learning contents during sleep especially children need a lot of sleep. The majority of school children sleep from nine to eleven hours per day. The optimal sleep duration is from seven to 12 hours.
Teenagers (14-17 years)
During puberty, the body is subjected to severe hormonal fluctuations. To be able to meet the challenge from the passage of child to adulthood the optimal sleep duration is from eight to ten hours.
Young adults (18-25 years)
During this phase, the human being needs seven to nine hours of sleep. An examination of the University of South-Denmark proved that especially young men who want to start a family should care for an appropriate amount of sleep. Due to lack of sleep the testosterone level decreases – and this has a negative influence on the concentration of sperm.
Adults (26-64 years)
Most of the time, seven to nine hours sleep are sufficient. Sleeping from six to ten hours is normal.
Sleeping less than six hours for a longer period of time might have negative consequences. Lack of sleep may lead cardio-vascular diseases, overweight, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Seniors (65 +)
The ideal amount of sleep here is seven to eight hours. But, there are also senior citizens who only need 5 hours of sleep.
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Image source: sleepingfoundation.org
Sources:
National Sleep Foundation (https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need)
Study British researchers (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/1310/141013-bedtimes-linked-to-behavioral-problems-in-children)
Study University of Tübingen, Germany (http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=128841&CultureCode=en)
Study University of South-Denmark (http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/04/05/aje.kws420.abstract)
Study high blood pressure (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22595955)
Study insulin sensitivity (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23070488)