The amount of sleep we get every day has a large impact on our overall health and development. This is why experts advise us to follow certain recommendations when it comes to sleep duration according to our age.
The National Sleep Foundation has given guidelines for sleeping hours according to certain ages. The length of your sleeping conditions your energy levels, mental clarity and optimal health.
Sleep issues can happen because of numerous factors and the main two are stress and modern technology.
While we feel stressed our bodies produce more cortisol which is also called the stress hormone. High amounts of this hormone in our body affects our sleep, it causes discomfort and sickness. The use of modern technological devices on the other hand, particularly the light they emit, trick the brain into thinking it is day thus the brain is unable to release melatonin which is produced in the dark.
Besides physical tiredness, sleep difficulties also affect the ability to think clearly, to concentrate and make decisions and they also cause loss of appetite. Sleep problems also have a direct link to numerous health issues.
Sleeping less than 5 hours a day affects the health of the heart, and less than 7 hours causes’ diabetes, obesity and weight gain. This is why it is very important to sleep enough hours so that you will prevent various health problems.
Guidelines for sleep hours
A research conducted by Charles Czeisler at Harvard University, included numerous studies from 2004 to 2014. The main goal of the professor and his team was to find out the effects of sleep on the health and the needed sleep hours.
The team has come to the following conclusions:
- Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Babies (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
- Children (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
- Preschool (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
- School age (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
- Teens (14-17 years): 8-10 hours
- Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours
- Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours
- Seniors (over 65 years): 7-8 hours
However, keep in mind that these are approximate guidelines. The amount of sleep hours is different for each person. But still the importance of proper sleep for the health is already well known.