Get Enough Sleep - MyHealthfinder | health.gov

Most adults need 7 or more hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. Getting enough sleep isn't only about total hours of ... Skiptomaincontent Learnmoreabout COVID-19vaccinesandstayingsafeduringthepandemic U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices OfficeofDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion GetEnoughSleep MyHealthfinder Topics EverydayHealthyLiving MentalHealthandRelationships GetEnoughSleep Topicnavigation BrowseSections Overview HealthBenefits SleepSchedule TroubleSleeping SleepDisorders DaytimeHabits NighttimeHabits SeeaDoctor TheBasics:Overview It'simportanttogetenoughsleep.Sleephelpskeepyourmindandbodyhealthy. HowmuchsleepdoIneed? Mostadultsneed7ormorehoursofgood-qualitysleeponaregularscheduleeachnight. Gettingenoughsleepisn’tonlyabouttotalhoursofsleep.It’salsoimportanttogetgood-qualitysleeponaregularschedulesoyoufeelrestedwhenyouwakeup. Ifyouoftenhavetroublesleeping—orifyouoftenstillfeeltiredaftersleeping—talkwithyourdoctor. Howmuchsleepdochildrenneed? Kidsneedevenmoresleepthanadults: Teensneed8to10hoursofsleepeachnight School-agedchildrenneed9to12hoursofsleepeachnight Preschoolersneedtosleepbetween10 and13 hoursaday(includingnaps) Toddlersneedtosleepbetween11and14hoursaday(includingnaps) Babiesneedtosleepbetween12 and16 hoursaday(includingnaps) Newbornsneedtosleepbetween14and17hoursaday TheBasics:HealthBenefits Whyisgettingenoughsleepimportant? Gettingenoughsleephasmany benefits.Itcanhelpyou: Getsicklessoften Stayatahealthyweight Loweryourriskforserioushealthproblems,likediabetesandheartdisease  Reducestressandimproveyourmood Thinkmoreclearlyanddobetterinschoolandatwork Getalongbetterwithpeople Makegooddecisionsandavoidinjuries—forexample,drowsydriverscausethousandsofcaraccidentseveryyear TheBasics:SleepSchedule DoesitmatterwhenIsleep? Yes.Yourbodysetsyour“biologicalclock”accordingtothepatternofdaylightwhereyoulive.Thishelpsyounaturallygetsleepyatnightandstayalertduringtheday. Ifyouhavetoworkatnightandsleepduringtheday,youmayhavetroublegettingenoughsleep.Itcanalsobehardtosleepwhenyoutraveltoadifferenttimezone. Getsleeptipstohelpyou: Workthenightshift Dealwithjetlag(troublesleepinginanewtimezone) TheBasics:TroubleSleeping Whycan’tIfallasleep? Manythingscanmakeitharderforyoutosleep,including: Stressoranxiety Pain Certainhealthconditions,likeheartburnorasthma Somemedicines Caffeine(usuallyfromcoffee,tea,andsoda) Alcoholandotherdrugs Untreatedsleepdisorders,likesleepapneaorinsomnia Ifyou'rehavingtroublesleeping,trymakingchangestoyourroutinetogetthesleepyouneed.Youmaywant to: Changewhatyoudoduringtheday—forexample,getyourphysicalactivityinthemorninginsteadofatnight Createacomfortablesleepenvironment—forexample,makesureyourbedroomisdarkandquiet Setabedtimeroutine—forexample,gotobedatthesametimeeverynight TheBasics:SleepDisorders HowcanItellifIhaveasleepdisorder? Sleepdisorderscancausemanydifferentproblems.Keepinmindthatit’snormaltohavetroublesleepingeverynowandthen. Peoplewithsleepdisordersgenerallyexperiencetheseproblemsonaregularbasis. Commonsignsofsleepdisordersinclude: Troublefallingorstayingasleep Stillfeelingtiredafteragoodnight'ssleep Sleepinessduringthedaythatmakesitdifficulttodoeverydayactivities,likedrivingorconcentratingatwork Frequentloudsnoring Pausesinbreathingorgaspingwhilesleeping Tinglingorcrawlingfeelingsinyourlegsorarmsatnightthatfeelbetterwhenyoumoveormassagethearea Feelinglikeit’shardtomovewhenyoufirstwakeup Ifyouhaveanyofthesesigns,talktoadoctorornurse.Youmayneedtestingortreatment forasleepdisorder. Tolearnmoreaboutsleepdisorders: Checkoutthisguidetohealthysleep[PDF-451KB] Readaboutcommonsleepdisorders TakeAction:DaytimeHabits Makingsmallchangestoyourdailyroutinecanhelpyougetthesleepyouneed. Changewhatyoudoduringtheday. Trytospendsometimeoutdoorsinthedaylight—earlierinthedayisbest Planyourphysicalactivityforearlierintheday,notrightbeforeyougotobed Stayawayfromcaffeine(includingcoffee,tea,andsoda)lateintheday Ifyouhavetroublesleepingatnight,limitdaytimenapsto20minutesorless Ifyoudrinkalcohol,drinkonlyinmoderation(lessthan1drinkinadayforwomenandlessthan2drinksinadayformen)—alcoholcankeepyoufromsleepingwell Don’teatabigmealclosetobedtime Ifyousmoke,makeaplantoquit—thenicotineincigarettescanmakeitharderforyoutosleep Gettipsfor:  Drinkingalcoholonlyinmoderation Quittingsmoking TakeAction:NighttimeHabits Createagoodsleepenvironment. Makesureyourbedroomisdark—iftherearestreetlightsnearyourwindow,tryputtinguplight-blockingcurtains Keepyourbedroomquiet Considerkeepingelectronicdevices—likeTVs,computers,andsmartphones—outofyourbedroom Setabedtimeroutine. Gotobedatthesametimeeverynight Trytogetthesameamountofsleepeachnight Avoideating,talkingonthephone,orreading inbed Avoidusingcomputersorsmartphones,watchingTV,orplayingvideogamesatbedtime Ifyoufindyourselfupatnightworryingaboutthings, usethesetipstohelpmanage stress Ifyou’restillawakeafterstayinginbedformorethan20minutes,getup.Dosomethingrelaxing,likereadingormeditating,untilyoufeelsleepy. TakeAction:SeeaDoctor Ifyou'reconcernedaboutyoursleep,seeadoctor. Talkwithadoctorornurseifyouhaveanyofthefollowingsignsofasleep disorder: Troublefallingorstayingasleep Stillfeelingtiredafteragoodnight’ssleep Sleepinessduringthedaythatmakesitdifficulttodoeverydayactivities,likedrivingorconcentratingatwork Frequentloudsnoring Pausesinbreathingorgaspingwhilesleeping Tinglingorcrawlingfeelingsinyourlegsorarmsatnightthatfeelbetterwhenyoumoveormassagethearea Troublestayingawakeduringtheday Feelinglikeit’shardtomovewhenyoufirstwakeup Evenifyoudon’thavetheseproblems,talkwithadoctorifyoufeellikeyouoftenhavetroublesleeping. Keepasleepdiary[PDF-53KB] foraweekandshareitwithyourdoctor.Adoctorcansuggestdifferentsleeproutinesormedicinestotreatsleepdisorders.Talkwithadoctorbeforetryingover-the-countersleepmedicine. ContentlastupdatedApril8,2022 ReviewerInformation ThisinformationonsleepwasadaptedfrommaterialsfromtheNationalHeart,LungandBloodInstituteandtheNationalInstituteonAging. Reviewedby: MarishkaBrown,Ph.D NationalCenteronSleepDisordersResearch DivisionofLungDiseases NationalHeart,LungandBloodInstitute August2021 Youmayalsobeinterestedin: DrinkAlcoholOnlyinModeration ManageStress GetActive