Most adults should aim to get 7 or more hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. The amount of sleep you need will depend on factors like your age, with children generally needing more sleep than adults.
Getting the right amount of good-quality sleep is beneficial for your health, helping you stay alert, regulate your mood, and prevent certain health conditions, such as heart issues.
Keep reading to learn about habits for getting good sleep and what to do if you find it hard to get enough.
This article is Day 5 of Healthline’s 3 Week Better Sleep Challenge. Follow along to discover small, meaningful habits to help you sleep better, feel more rested, and wake ready to thrive each day.
Missed a day? Catch up with Day 4: What is a Sleep Journal?, or continue on to Day 6: Improve Your Sleep with Evening Rituals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you aim to get the following amounts of sleep:
| Age | Sleep needs in hours |
|---|---|
| 13 to 17 years | 8 to 10 hours |
| 18 to 60 years | 7 or more hours |
| 61 to 64 years | 7 to 9 hours |
| 65 years and older | 7 to 8 hours |
Younger children have even greater sleep needs, but they do not have to get all of their sleep at once. Many children reach their sleep goals with the help of naps.
| Age | Sleep needs in hours |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 months | 14 to 17 hours |
| 4 to 12 months | 12 to 16 hours |
| 1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 hours |
| 3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 hours |
| 6 to 12 years | 9 to 12 hours |
The National Sleep Foundation has also published recommendations for sleep duration.
Ultimately, each person has unique sleep needs. Certain factors, such as genetics, may influence your sleep quality and the duration of your sleep.
Further, people who get good-quality sleep may need a little less sleep than those who frequently wake up or have trouble staying asleep.
Sleep hygiene is a set of habits that may improve your sleep. Here are some ways you can practice good sleep hygiene:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- Avoid eating large meals before bedtime.
- Avoid drinking alcohol before bedtime.
- Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
- Keep your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
Some research suggests getting too much or too little sleep may increase your risk of health issues, such as infections, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
The benefits of getting enough sleep include:
- reducing stress and improving mood
- improving attention and memory
- getting sick less often
- maintaining a moderate weight
- improving heart health and metabolism
- decreasing the risk of motor vehicle accidents
Good quality sleep is less about how much sleep you get and more about how well you sleep. Getting good quality sleep may also decrease your risk of chronic conditions, including:
Sleep deprivation has a cumulative effect on your health. Ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as:
- heart disease
- kidney disease
- high blood pressure
- obesity
- depression
- diabetes
It can also cause a variety of issues, such as:
- trouble focusing, learning, and reacting
- difficulty judging emotions and reactions
- feeling frustrated or cranky
If you experience insomnia, you may have difficulty falling or staying asleep. It can also cause you to wake up too early or prevent you from feeling refreshed after you sleep.
Types of insomnia
Temporary insomnia can be due to life events, including stress or pregnancy. Changes to your daily habits, such as starting a job with non-traditional work hours, can also lead to temporary insomnia.
Some other possible causes of insomnia include:
- genetics and family history
- age, with risk increasing with age
- changing your sleep schedule frequently
- experiencing interruptions to your sleep
- taking long naps
- insufficient exercise
- using caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or recreational drugs
- using electronic devices too close to bedtime
- menopause
Chronic insomnia occurs for 3 or more nights a week for at least 3 months. If you have chronic insomnia, it may be beneficial to speak with a doctor about treatments.
Treatment for insomnia
Treatments for insomnia include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): You’ll work with a therapist to treat underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression.
- Sleep hygiene training: A sleep expert will work with you to establish better sleep practices.
- Treatment for underlying conditions: Your doctor may be able to identify an issue that could be contributing to your sleep problem and seek to treat both conditions.
- Medication: In the short term, some sleep medications may help ease insomnia symptoms.
The primary goal of insomnia treatment is to help you get to sleep more easily. The secondary goal is to help treat any underlying cause or condition that’s keeping you from getting to sleep.
Below are some potential treatments a doctor may recommend if you are finding it hard to get enough sleep.
Sleeping pills
Sleeping pills help you fall asleep or stay asleep. However, they can have serious consequences if used long term, including a risk for dependence. It is important to talk with your doctor before starting any medication, even those that are over-the-counter.
Common OTC sleeping pills help regulate your sleep-wake cycle with low doses of antihistamines.
Prescription sleeping pills may cause dependency issues. That’s why you should work closely with your doctor and use them only as long as necessary.
These medications include:
- Benzodiazepine receptor agonists: This may include zolpidem (Ambien), zaleplon (Sonata),and eszopiclone (Lunesta).
- Melatonin receptor agonists: This includes medications such as ramelteon (Rozerem).
- Orexin receptor antagonists: This includes medications such as suvorexant (Belsomra), daridorexant (Quviviq), and lemborexant (Dayvigo).
- Benzodiazepines: This includes medications such as temazepam and triazolam (Halcion).
- Antidepressants: This includes medications such as low dose doxepin.
Natural sleep aids
Some people with sleep deprivation may want to avoid medications and use alternative treatments to help get some shut-eye. These may include:
- Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle. It’s available as a dietary supplement.
- Valerian: Valerian is another natural sleep aid. It’s extracted from a plant and sold as a dietary supplement. However, research into its effects on insomnia isn’t conclusive.
- Lavender: Some people use lavender aromatherapy as a sleep aid. It’s important to speak with your doctor before using supplements containing lavender.
Therapy
CBT is a first-line treatment for some sleep disturbances, including insomnia.
If you have trouble falling and staying asleep, talking with a therapist may help. The two of you will work together to identify and correct invasive thought patterns or ideas that could be preventing you from getting restful sleep.
Guided meditation
Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind on a thought or objective, such as reducing stress or relaxing.
People new to meditation may find that the practice helps them learn to relax and rest. As a result, sleep may become easier and more restful.
Guided meditations are typically performed by therapists or other practitioners trained in proper techniques. These instructions may be available on tapes or podcasts, apps, or videos. You can also take classes from instructors.
For some, sleep comes as naturally as blinking or breathing. For others, getting enough quality sleep is a major challenge that requires lifestyle changes or medical intervention.
There are numerous reasons for sleep problems, ranging from short-term stressors to serious, long-term sleep disorders. If you have chronic sleep problems, talk with your doctor about finding a solution.