Article content
Our overall health depends on many factors. Experts agree that certain recommendations should be followed, for example about sleep, that is when we go to bed and how long we sleep. The National Sleep Foundation has recommended sleep duration by age, which means that a different number of hours of sleep is recommended for each age category.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED SLEEP DURATION, IT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ENOUGH ENERGY DURING THE DAY AND OPTIMAL HEALTH.
Sleep deprivation is a problem
Physical fatigue is not the only problem we suffer when we do not sleep enough. Lack of sleep can affect your appetite, your ability to think clearly, decision-making and even concentration. Many experts have also shown that if you have sleep problems, it can affect many health conditions.
Heart health may be at risk if you sleep less than five hours. Diabetes, obesity, and weight gain are the result if you sleep less than seven hours. Think about how many hours your body needs for sleep. This is the first step toward health and overall well-being.
Recommended sleep times by age
Charles Czeisler, a professor at Harvard University together with a team of experts, conducted research and many studies regarding sleep. From 2004 to 2014 this issue was addressed with the aim of finding out how many hours of sleep are ideal for human health.
See how much you should sleep according to your age:
- Newborn from 0 to 3 months: 14-17 hours
- Infants from 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours
- Children from 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours
- Preschoolers from 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours
- School-age children from 6 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours
- Teenagers aged 14-17: 8 to 10 hours
- Young adults from 18 to 25: 7 to 9 hours
- Adults from 26 to 64: 7 to 9 hours
- Seniors over 65 years: 7 to 8 hours
Keep in mind that each person has different bodily functions, reacts differently, and therefore also needs different amounts of time for sleep and rest. These are average and approximate guidelines. Sleep deprivation is an undeniable health risk for you.
Main causes of sleep problems
Sleep problems are a problem for your health. They can be the result of two main reasons, stress and technology. Stress stimulates the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. At high levels this hormone causes illness and discomfort.
