The National Sleep Foundation has made recommendations for sleep duration for various age groups based on a literature review by an expert panel. The following recommendations on sleep durations for healthy people without sleep disorders were published in Sleep Health:
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Newborns: 14–17 hours a day (previous recommendation: 12–18 hours)
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Infants: 12–15 hours (previously, 14–15)
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Toddlers: 11–14 hours (previously, 12–14)
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Preschoolers: 10–13 hours (previously, 11–13)
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School-aged children: 9–11 hours (previously, 10–11)
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Teenagers: 8–10 hours (previously, 8.5–9.5)
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Young adults (up to age 25): 7–9 hours
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Adults (26–64 years): 7–9 hours
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Older adults (65+): 7–8 hours
The document also includes a wider range of sleep duration that “may be appropriate” (versus “recommended”) for some individuals in each age group (e.g., 11–19 hours in newborns).
(David W. Ball, MD, an Internal Medicine physician, founder of NuVitality Health – a wellness education company, and co-founder of Life Changing Fitness – a fitness facility for Every Body)