It's important to get enough sleep especially during this challenging times. Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy.
How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. Make changes to your routine if you can't find enough time to sleep.
Getting enough sleep isn’t only about total hours of sleep. It’s also important to get good quality sleep on a regular schedule so you feel rested when you wake up.
If you often have trouble sleeping – or if you often still feel tired after sleeping – talk with your doctor.
How much sleep do children need?
Kids need even more sleep than adults.
• Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
• School-aged children need 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night.
• Preschoolers need to sleep between 10 and 13 hours a day (including naps).
• Toddlers need to sleep between 11 and 14 hours a day (including naps).
• Babies need to sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day (including naps).
Why is getting enough sleep important?
Getting enough sleep has many benefits. It can help you:
• Get sick less often
• Stay at a healthy weight
• Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease
• Reduce stress and improve your mood
• Think more clearly and do better in school and at work
• Get along better with people
• Make good decisions and avoid injuries – for example, sleepy drivers cause thousands of car accidents every year
If you are concerned about your sleep, see a doctor.
Talk with a doctor or nurse if you have any of the following signs of a sleep disorder:
• Frequent, loud snoring
• Pauses in breathing during sleep
• Trouble waking up in the morning
• Pain or itchy feelings in your legs or arms at night that feel better when you move or massage the area
• Trouble staying awake during the day
Even if you aren’t aware of problems like these, talk with a doctor if you feel like you often have trouble sleeping.
Keep a sleep diary for a week and share it with your doctor (see links below). A doctor can suggest different sleep routines or medicines to treat sleep disorders. Talk with a doctor before trying over-the-counter sleep medicine.
Sleep Diary 1. Sleep Diary 2. Sleep Diary 3
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
