Fitly PulseHow Much Sleep Do You Need? Hours by Age & Tips
Sleep affects mood, concentration, appetite and long-term health. Needs vary a little from person to person, but expert groups agree on useful ranges.
Recommended sleep by age
| Age group | Recommended hours per 24h |
|---|---|
| Infants (4–12 months) | 12–16 (including naps) |
| Toddlers (1–2 years) | 11–14 (including naps) |
| Preschool (3–5 years) | 10–13 (including naps) |
| School age (6–12 years) | 9–12 |
| Teens (13–18 years) | 8–10 |
| Adults (18+) | 7 or more |
For adults, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society consensus statement recommends regularly sleeping seven or more hours per night for optimal health. Our tracker uses 8 hours as a simple default goal, which you can read as the middle of a healthy range.
Signs you may not be getting enough
- Needing an alarm and still feeling groggy for a long time after waking
- Trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Irritability or low mood
- Strong afternoon sleepiness or dozing off in quiet situations
- Increased cravings for sugary or high-calorie foods
Habits that support better sleep
- Keep a consistent schedule. Go to bed and wake up at similar times, including weekends.
- Get daylight early in the day. It helps anchor your body clock.
- Limit caffeine in the afternoon and avoid large meals or alcohol close to bedtime.
- Wind down. Dim lights and avoid stimulating screens or work for 30–60 minutes before bed.
- Make the bedroom cool, dark and quiet.
- Move during the day. Regular physical activity is linked to better sleep.
When to see a doctor
Talk to a healthcare professional if you regularly struggle to fall or stay asleep, if you snore loudly or others notice pauses in your breathing, if you feel very sleepy despite spending enough time in bed, or if poor sleep is affecting your daily life. These can be signs of conditions such as insomnia or sleep apnoea, which are treatable.
Tracking sleep
Logging your sleep hours alongside water, steps and habits in the Fitly Pulse tracker makes it easier to spot patterns, for example whether your best days follow a consistent bedtime.
Try it yourself — the free Fitly Pulse tracker runs these calculations in your browser. No account needed.
Open the free trackerReferences
- Watson NF, et al. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. PubMed 25979105
- Paruthi S, et al. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.