Recommended sleep hours for every life stage
Newborn (0–3 months)
Includes naps
14–17 hours
Infant (4–11 months)
Includes naps
12–15 hours
Toddler (1–2 years)
Includes naps
11–14 hours
Preschool (3–5 years)
May include nap
10–13 hours
School age (6–12 years)
Consistent schedule
9–12 hours
Teen (13–17 years)
Delayed circadian phase
8–10 hours
Young adult (18–25 years)
Same as adults
7–9 hours
Adult (26–64 years)
4–5 sleep cycles
7–9 hours
Older adult (65+ years)
Lighter, fragmented sleep
7–8 hours
Source: National Sleep Foundation & American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines
Recommended tools
Healthy sleep habits start young. 'Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child' by Dr. Marc Weissbluth is the definitive guide.
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Sleep needs change dramatically across your lifespan. Newborns require up to 17 hours while healthy adults need 7–9 hours. These recommendations represent total sleep including naps for younger age groups.
For adults, 7–9 hours typically means 4–5 complete 90-minute sleep cycles. Use our sleep cycle calculator to find exact bedtimes, or the sleep debt calculator if you have been running short.
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