Getting enough sleep is essential for your health. However, the amount of sleep you need varies depending on your age, gender, activity level, and even your genes. Children and teenagers typically require more sleep than adults.
According to a two-year National Sleep Foundation study, for adults, getting seven to nine hours of shuteye is needed, while younger age groups require more. Here are their full recommendations:
The National Sleep Foundation also advised against getting less than your recommended nightly ZZZs, because sleep deprivation could cause heart disease and other health risks, not to mention being cranky all the time. Meanwhile, oversleeping could make depression more severe. If you really must to stay up late or stay in bed longer, here are the durations you should be careful to avoid:
+ Young adults (18 to 25 years): under six hours or more than 11 hours
+ Adults (26 to 64 years): under six hours or more than 10 hours of sleep
+ Older adults (65 years and up): under five hours or more than nine hours
In addition, the organization also said that, aside from following the “range,” you can sleep better by having a sleep schedule (even on weekends), practicing a relaxing bedtime ritual like taking a hot shower, exercising daily, and evaluating your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound, and light.
“Most importantly, make sleep a priority,” the organization said. “You must schedule sleep like any other daily activity, so put it on your ‘to-do list’ and cross it off every night. But don’t make it the thing you do only after everything else is done—stop doing other things so you get the sleep you need.” Yes, Netflix included.
Sources: medicinenet.com, sleephealthjournal.org
