The suggested amount of sleep that is required varies with age. Less or more than this amount is not recommended, except in times of stress and illness, as well as pregnancy.
Newborn 0-3 months: 14–17 hours per 24 hours
Infant 4–12 months: 12–15 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Toddler 1–2 years: 11–14 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
Preschool 3–5 years: 10–13 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
School Age 6–12 years: 9–11 hours per 24 hours
Teen 13–18 years: 8–10 hours per 24 hours
Adult 18–64 years: 7–9 or more hours per night
Senior 65 years and older: 7–8 hours per night
How many Australians do not get enough sleep?
Inadequate sleep, of either duration or quality, and its daytime consequences are quite common in Australian adults, affecting up to 45% of adults. Normal sleep is made up of sleep cycles, which usually repeat every 90 to 110 minutes. This equates to 4, 5 or 6 cycles in an adult’s sleep period.
The normal sleep cycle is made up of a sequence of varying sleep phases. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM sleep make up the two main types of sleep that occur.
REM sleep involves quick eye movements that can be observed during deep sleep. The brain is highly active during REM sleep, yet the body is very inactive. REM sleep is when most of your dreaming happens, and your eyes move rapidly in different directions. Your heart rate increases, and your breathing becomes more irregular.
Non-REM sleep is often broken up into 3 stages.
Stage 1: During this stage, you can still hear things and have a sense of awareness. Your brain has dozed into sleep, but you do not feel like you are asleep.
Stage 2: This is “light sleep”. You are asleep but can be woken easily. Your body does “body maintenance” during lighter stages of sleep. Breathing and heart rate usually decrease slightly during this stage. Light sleep takes up more than half the night and is especially important to well-being.
Stage 3: This is “deep sleep”. During this stage, you become less responsive to outside influences. Heart rate and breathing rate reduce and muscles relax, heart rate usually becomes more regular. Your parts of the brain that think are turned off and your muscles are very relaxed.
Common medical sleep conditions.
Medical sleep conditions result in changes in the way that you sleep. They can affect your quality of life, overall health, and safety. Sleep deprivation can affect your ability to drive safely and increase your risk of other health problems. They can include:
- Insomnia
- Sleep Apnoea
