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How much sleep do you need?

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Are you productive, healthy and happy on seven hours of sleep? Or does it take you nine hours of quality ZZZs to get you into high gear?

The National Sleep Foundation cannot pinpoint an exact amount of sleep need by people at different ages, it more identifies the “rule-of-thumb” amounts experts agree upon. Nevertheless, it’s important to pay attention to your own individual needs by assessing how you feel on different amounts of sleep.

• Are you productive, healthy and happy on seven hours of sleep? Or does it take you nine hours of quality ZZZs to get you into high gear?

• Do you have health issues such as being overweight? Are you at risk for any disease?

• Are you experiencing sleep problems?

• Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day?

• Do you feel sleepy at school?

These are questions that must be asked before you can find the number that works for you.

Here are the recommended sleep ranges for all six children and teenage groups. A summary of the new recommendations includes:

• Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)

• Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)

• Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14)

• Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)

• School-age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)

• Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)

• Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)

• Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours

• Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)

For more information: www.sleepfoundation.org