How does sleep change with age?

We all know that infants generally get plenty of sleep, but as we enter adulthood, we tend to sleep less.

However, it’s also true that we are all unique. Yes, even when it comes to sleep!

The importance of sleep

We all need a good night’s sleep to feel healthy and restore our spirit and body. Although experts recommend a specific number of sleep hours depending on age, no general rule applies to everyone.

Just think that for some people, 8 hours of sleep are not enough to boost job performance, while 5 to 6 hours are sufficient for others to feel vibrant and nice-looking. However, apart from personal characteristics, it is universally true that the older you get, the less you need to sleep.

As a child, you sleep a lot…

Children can spend up to 3/4 of the day sleeping during their first months, but as they grow, the time dedicated to rest decreases more and more. Children sleep 12 hours a day until the age of 4. However, during the developmental period, the number drops to 10.

But you sleep less with aging!

From age 25, we generally perceive that our sleep is changing. Later on, around 35, it drastically reduces. This happens because the production of the growth hormone promoted by sleep, is no longer necessary. And there’s more!

After 50, we “lose” about 27 minutes of sleep every 10 years. However, various scientific researches have revealed that sleep duration remains almost unchanged for those who maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Here’s how to calculate how much sleep you need!

It’s easy to understand how many hours of rest our body needs. Here’s what to do!

1. For 5 consecutive days, set your morning alarm at the same time.
2. Every morning, note how tired you feel on a scale from 1 (little) to 5 (a lot).
3. At the end of the 5 days, if your average is higher than 3, you should get to bed half an hour earlier than usual.

Quality besides quantity

In addition to personal features, the quality of sleep we get determines how we get up in the morning. This is why choosing the right mattress, pillow, and bed base becomes crucial. How much sleep do you get?