Most adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep each night. However, the exact amount varies from person to person.

Your sleep needs change as you age

People of different ages tend to need different amounts of sleep:

  • Newborns — 16-18 hours per day
  • Toddlers — 11-12 hours per day
  • Children — 10 or more hours per day
  • Teenagers — 9-10 hours per day
  • Adults — 7-9 hours per day

Older adults tend to sleep for fewer hours and to spend less time in the deepest stages of sleep. However, older adults should still aim to get the recommended amount of sleep each night.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Colleen Ehrnstrom's profile picture
Dr. Colleen Ehrnstrom, PhD

Dr. Colleen Ehrnstrom is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty practice in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Areas of expertise include insomnia and other sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression.

Dr. Ehrnstrom is not a medical provider and is not providing any recommendations regarding medications. Rather, she is sharing and reviewing the research as it relates to education when learning how best to treat insomnia.

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