How Much Sleep Do You Need for Optimal Health?

Most adults need at least seven hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule each night to maintain optimal health. Getting enough sleep isn't just about total hours of sleep, but also about sleeping well and on a regular schedule so that you feel rested when you wake up. These guidelines serve as a general rule to determine the number of hours of sleep babies, children, and adults need.\The National Library of Medicine, Biotechnology Information and The National Center for Biotechnology Information promote science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.\If you're concerned about the number of hours you or your child sleep, talk to your doctor or your child's doctor. People who don't get enough sleep before getting on a driving simulator or performing an eye-hand coordination task perform just as poorly or worse than people who have been given alcohol.

You may need to sleep at least nine hours a night to feel well rested, while your partner may wake up naturally after seven hours, feeling perfectly refreshed and ready for the day. Fortunately, improving bedroom settings and sleep-related habits is an established way to get better rest.\Lack of sleep can have short- and long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive health repercussions. Spending the whole night or working the night shift and sleeping later during the day can have some negative health effects, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.\Sleep guidelines can serve as a starting point for determining your sleep needs, as they offer recommendations backed by research on the ideal amount of sleep for optimal health. The final recommendations have been supported by other medical organizations, such as the Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics.\The American Academy of Sleep Medicine organized a panel of sleep experts to develop these recommendations.

To ensure you get enough restful sleep, it's important to apply tips on healthy sleeping habits so that you can get all the recommended hours of sleep.\The Sleep Foundation's editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards of accuracy and objectivity. If you don't have enough money, you'll have dream debt, which is a lot like being overdrawn in a bank.\The third stage is “deep sleep” when your brain waves slow down and it's harder for you to wake up. Knowing the specific amount of sleep you need to function at your best can help you determine what time you're going to bed. However, experts have linked continued lack of sleep to serious health consequences, such as an increased risk of chronic diseases and premature death.