How much should one sleep? Depends on age
Poor sleep has been associated with long-term health consequences, such as higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and dementia
The amount of sleep one needs is very individualised, however, doctors recommend seven to nine hours of sleep a night. The recommendations can change as people age. Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep a night, but 1 in 3 of them don't, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Poor sleep has been associated with long-term health consequences, such as higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and dementia, reports the CNN.
A recent study has found that even one day of sleep loss can harm one's well-being. People who get poor sleep might also be predisposed to conditions such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, Dasgupta said.
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"There are chronic consequences, and there are acute consequences, which is why sleep is more than just saying, 'The early bird gets the worm,'" said Dr Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Infants 4 months to 12 months need their 12 to 16 hours of sleep, including naps.Toddlers, who are between the ages of 1 and 3, should get 11 to 14 hours of sleep, according to Dr. Bhanu Kolla, associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic with a special interest in sleep.
Children aged between 3-5 should sleep for 10 to 13 hours, he added, and from ages 6 to 12, they should sleep nine to 12 hours. For kids up to age 5, these sleep recommendations include naps.
Teenagers should get eight to 10 hours of sleep, Kolla said. This recommendation has sparked a debate in recent years about start times for school.
The quantity of sleep is important, but so is the quality of it, Dasgupta added.
Getting deeper sleep and hitting the rapid eye movement (REM) stage helps with cognition, memory and productivity throughout the day.
REM is the sleep stage where memories are consolidated and stored. It also allows us to dream vividly. People can sometimes get the right quantity of sleep but still feel fatigued, and this might mean they aren't reaching these sleep stages.
