The Recommended Sleep Times According To The National Sleep Foundation

Good night’s sleep is of utmost importance, and your body needs time to rest and restore its systems. But, many people have an irregular sleeping pattern, and insomnia is a leading cause for the development of many ailments.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended number of sleeping hours depends on the age factor. The quality of your sleep determines the energy you have throughout the day, and affects your health condition.

Sleep disorders are caused by many factors. Stress and modern technology are the most common. Stress stimulates the secretion of cortisol. Excessive secretion of the stress hormone causes sleep disorder, sickness, and discomfort.

The light released by technological devices blocks the production of melatonin.

Unhealthy sleeping patterns often lead to fatigue, and make you unable to make decisions, concentrate, think clearly and even eat. Scientists have now confirmed the link between sleep disorders and health problems.

If you sleep less than five hours a night, your heart will suffer a lot. Sleeping less than 7 hours creates perfect conditions for the development of severe health problems like uncontrolled weight gain and diabetes. Try to sleep well, and your body will thank you.

New guidelines for sleep hours

Charles Czeisler, a professor at Harvard University, gathered a team of experts, and did a marvelous research. They went through numerous studies conducted in the period between 2004 and 2014.

The goal of their research was determining the proper number of sleeping hours for every age group. They also studies the effects of sleeping on overall health.

Here are the results of Czeisler’s research:

• 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.
• Youth (18-25 years) — 7-9 hours.
• Adults (26-64 years) — 7-9 hours.
• Seniors (over 65 years) — 7-8 hours.

Insufficient sleep leads to severe health problems, so try to get enough rest throughout the night.