Did You Know...about sleep

...that the body requires a specific number of hours of sleep each night to function properly?

Scientists have discussed and disagreed over this statement for many years, however, a 2005 study
has reported that there is a recognized result from not getting enough sleep and, while specific hours
may vary slightly, there is a rule of thumb that should be followed. Yes, different age groups do have different sleep requirements but these are also based upon the individual. One person may do just fine with seven hours of sleep while someone else could require nine.

According to the National Sleep Foundation there is also something to consider and that is the interaction between the basal need and what they call “sleep debt”. If an individual has missed a few hours of sleep for more than a few nights then they can actually owe their body those hours of sleep. This sleep debt can then cause symptoms of sleep deprivation as if the person did not actually get their required amount of sleep that night.

Besides difficulty getting up in the morning or a feeling of sleepiness throughout the day, sleep
deprivation has been linked with several consequences such as increased appetite, dffculty concentrating, depression and even substance abuse. However, recent studies suggest that sleep debt can be “paid off ” by
getting a few extra hours of sleep when possible.

While there is no specific “magic number” of hours required, there is a general rule of thumb that should be followed based on age.

Newborns (0 to 2 months) need 12-18 hours

Infants (3 to 12 months) need 14-15 hours

Toddlers (1 to 3 years) need 12-14 hours

Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) need 11-13 hours

School-age Children (5 to 10 years) need
10-11 hours

Teens (10 to 17 years) need 8½-9¼ hours

Adults (18 years and older) need 7-9 hours