AASM
7 or more hours
Adults 18 to 60, per night
Sleep needs by age
Enter an age to see how much sleep the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommend, and when to fall asleep to get it.
Recommended for 30 years
National Sleep Foundation
7 to 9 hours
Adults 18 to 64 years
Waking at 7:00 AM, that means falling asleep by 12:00 AM for 7+ hours (AASM), or between 10:00 PM and 12:00 AM for 7–9 hours (NSF).
Plan bedtimes around sleep cycles
Not medical advice. These ranges are for healthy people. If you or your child regularly sleep much less or more, or feel sleepy despite enough sleep, ask a doctor.
- AASM consensus
- National Sleep Foundation
- NewbornsAASM — · NSF 0–3 mo No AASM figure for this age
- InfantsAASM 4–12 mo · NSF 4–11 mo
- ToddlersAASM 1–2 y · NSF 1–2 y
- PreschoolersAASM 3–5 y · NSF 3–5 y
- School ageAASM 6–12 y · NSF 6–13 y
- TeenagersAASM 13–18 y · NSF 14–17 y
- AdultsAASM 18–60 y · NSF 18–64 y
- Older adultsAASM — · NSF 65+ y No AASM figure for this age
Bars with a fading end mean "or more". Highlighted rows match the age you entered.
| Age group | AASM | NSF |
|---|---|---|
| Newborns | Not included (under 4 months) | 14 to 17 hoursNewborns 0 to 3 months |
| Infants | 12 to 16 hours4 to 12 months | 12 to 15 hoursInfants 4 to 11 months |
| Toddlers | 11 to 14 hours1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 hoursToddlers 1 to 2 years |
| Preschoolers | 10 to 13 hours3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 hoursPreschoolers 3 to 5 years |
| School age | 9 to 12 hours6 to 12 years | 9 to 11 hoursSchool-age 6 to 13 years |
| Teenagers | 8 to 10 hours13 to 18 years | 8 to 10 hoursTeens 14 to 17 years |
| Adults | 7 or more hoursAdults 18 to 60 | 7 to 9 hoursAdults 18 to 64 years |
| Older adults | Not covered (statement is for 18–60) | 7 to 8 hoursOlder adults 65 and over |
Where the numbers come from
Both sets of figures come from expert panels that reviewed the research on sleep and health. The AASM ranges for children aged 4 months to 18 years come from its 2016 consensus statement (Paruthi et al.); infants under 4 months were left out because normal sleep varies so widely at that age. For adults aged 18 to 60, the AASM and Sleep Research Society recommend 7 or more hours a night, adding that more than 9 hours may suit young adults, people recovering from lost sleep and people who are ill (Watson et al., 2015).
The NSF published ranges for every age from newborns to adults over 65 in 2015 (Hirshkowitz et al.). Its bands are drawn slightly differently, so a 13-year-old falls in the AASM teen band but the NSF school-age band.
Reading the results
For children up to 5 the ranges count every hour of sleep in 24 hours, naps included. Both panels stress that needs vary from person to person. Use the range as a guide and notice how you or your child feel and function during the day; the bedtime window simply counts back from the wake-up time you enter.
Sources
- Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(6):785–786. doi:10.5664/jcsm.5866
- Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the AASM and Sleep Research Society. Sleep 2015;38(6):843–844. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716
- Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health 2015;1(1):40–43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
- National Sleep Foundation. How many hours of sleep do you really need?
- Van Dongen HPA, Maislin G, Mullington JM, Dinges DF. The cumulative cost of additional wakefulness: dose-response effects on neurobehavioral functions and sleep physiology from chronic sleep restriction and total sleep deprivation. Sleep 2003;26(2):117–126. doi:10.1093/sleep/26.2.117
Questions
Is 6 hours enough if I feel fine?
The AASM statement links regularly sleeping under 7 hours with health problems in adults, and in a lab study people kept to 6 hours a night for two weeks underrated how impaired they had become (Van Dongen et al., 2003). Feeling fine is not a reliable test.
Why is there no AASM figure for adults over 60?
The adult statement covered ages 18 to 60. The NSF recommends 7 to 9 hours up to 64 and 7 to 8 hours from 65.
My child sleeps more or less than this. Should I worry?
Children vary, and one night does not matter. If your child regularly sleeps far outside the range, snores, or is very sleepy or irritable in the day, talk to your doctor.