How Much Is Enough?

You might think you know how much sleep you need to function, but are you really getting the sleep that your body needs? Regardless of what you may think, the body doesn't adapt to sleep deprivation. In fact, people who are sleep deprived move more quickly into the stages of deep sleep and spend more time there.
Each person requires a different amount of sleep, and that amount can change depending on age, heredity, and degree of sleep deprivation.

As a general guideline:

• Infants may sleep up to 8 times and accumulate 16-18 hours of sleep per day.

• Adolescents require around 9 hours of sleep per night.

• Most adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but don't be surprised if you feel that you function better with an extra hour of rest.

• Older adults often don't spend as much time in deep sleep, and wake more often throughout the night.

Regardless of age and sleep requirements, if you're not getting enough rest to wake up easily without an alarm clock and feeling good in the morning, you are not getting enough sleep for you.