Infants |
About 16 hours of sleep per day |
Babies and toddlers |
From 6 months to 3 years: between 10 and 14 hours per day. Infants and young children generally get their sleep from a combination of nighttime sleep and naps. |
Children |
Ages 3-6: between 10 and 12 hours of sleep Ages 6-9: about 10 hours of sleep Ages 9-12: about 9 hours of sleep |
Teenagers |
About 9-10 hours of sleep per night. Teens have trouble getting enough sleep not only because of their busy schedules, but also because they are biologically programmed to want to stay up later and sleep later in the morning, which usually doesn’t mesh with school schedules. In addition, their sleep needs to up slightly for part of this period. |
Adults |
For most adults, 7-9 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep. |
Older adults |
Older adults are also thought to need 7-8 hours of sleep. However, their sleep may be lighter, last for shorter periods of time and may include a nap during the day. |
Pregnant women |
During pregnancy, women may need a few more hours of sleep per night, or find that they need short naps during the day. |
