How many hours should we sleep for a good quality of life?

The range of hours we should sleep to ensure proper functioning of our body and the maintenance of healthy patterns, vary greatly depending on the age of the person. As a general rule, the need to sleep a greater number of hours decreases as we get older, and at the same time, certain factors begin to appear that threaten the quality and prolongation of our sleep. Among these factors are the consumption of energizing substances, bad eating habits, night shifts, prolonged use of electronic devices at night, stress, among others.

Ensuring that we comply with the minimum number of hours of rest at night is essential for the care of our health, for this it is important to know what are the clinically recommended time ranges for each age period. During the development of this guide we will be going deeper into the above mentioned points, so that you can deepen your knowledge about the characteristics and peculiarities of the sleep process.

It is valid to clarify that the times recommended below respond to general medical criteria, each organism has its own needs and differentiating characteristics, so if any doubt arises, it is best to consult a health specialist.

Children under one year of age

For newborns, an average rest time of 12 hours is recommended when they are less than one year old. The younger the child is, the longer this time can be, always avoiding that it does not exceed 17 hours of sleep, since the activity during the rest of the day is also important.

Children between 1 and 2 years of age

The minimum recommended sleep time for children between 1 and 2 years of age is 9 hours of sleep per day. If the child sleeps for 10-11 hours it will not be detrimental to his health, it is recommended to avoid sleep times longer than 15 hours, in order to take care of his activity during the day and to guarantee that he maintains his sleep at night.

Children between 3 and 13 years of age

Children between the ages of 3 and 13 years of age should ensure an average of 9 hours of sleep per day. Children over 6 years of age can be allowed to sleep 8 hours if the case warrants it, but it should be avoided that the rest time is less than 7 hours, which could bring complications to their health. We must remember that during childhood the growth hormone plays a primordial role and this hormone is closely related to rest times.

During this age period, care should also be taken not to exceed 12 hours of rest, since the human organism requires more physical activity during growth and its demand for sleep decreases.

Children between 14 and 18 years of age

During this age period, the organism is prepared to rest about 8 hours a day and to fully repair itself. If there is enough time and if the child wishes, he/she can structure his/her rest time around 9 hours, maximum 10 hours.

Adults (over 18 years old)

Adults can sleep a minimum of 7 hours a day without any problem for their health. The younger they are, it is likely that a time closer to 8 hours is needed, that is why many doctors prefer to recommend 8 hours of rest for adults.

Older people usually suffer from serious sleep disorders, which often make it difficult for them to reach even the minimum 7 hours required. If this is your case, we recommend you to see a specialist to evaluate if the time you rest is adequate for your health or if you need to use some medication or restructure your daily routines in order to get the indicated rest time.