Sleep is Vital for Health

Sleep is vital for health and well-being in children, adolescents, and adults. Healthy sleep requires adequate sleep duration, appropriate timing, regularity, the absence of sleep disorders, and good quality, which can be indicated by both self-rating and objective sleep continuity variables. While individual sleep needs vary, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Sleep Research Society (SRS) recommend that the average adult should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) provides similar consensus recommendations of 7 to 9 hours of sleep for adults and 7 to 8 hours of sleep for older adults. Getting a healthy amount of sleep is a key part of a good sleep pattern. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night and that older adults over 65 years of age get between 7 and 8 hours.

Sleep has many benefits including healthier circulatory and immune systems, better management of blood sugar and weight, improved memory, alertness, problem-solving capabilities, lower stress, greater balance. For optimal health, there seems to be a sweet spot of six to eight hours of nightly sleep.