Recommended hours of sleep at every age, from newborns to older adults — CDC & Sleep Foundation guidelines. ✓ CDC / Sleep Foundation
Midpoint of the recommended range, in hours.
| Age group | Age | Recommended sleep |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0–3 months | 14–17 hours |
| Infant | 4–12 months | 12–16 hours |
| Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 hours |
| Preschool | 3–5 years | 10–13 hours |
| School-age | 6–12 years | 9–12 hours |
| Teen | 13–18 years | 8–10 hours |
| Young adult | 18–25 years | 7–9 hours |
| Adult | 26–64 years | 7–9 hours |
| Older adult | 65+ years | 7–8 hours |
Sleep needs are highest in infancy and gradually fall through childhood into adulthood. Newborns need 14–17 hours, school-age children 9–12, teenagers 8–10, and adults 7–9 hours a night. Adults over 65 still need about 7–8 hours, though sleep often becomes lighter and more broken with age. These are consensus recommendations from the CDC and the Sleep Foundation.
Regularly getting less than the recommended amount is linked to weight gain, heart disease, weaker immunity and poorer focus. If you struggle to fit in enough sleep or wake unrefreshed, work backwards from your wake time to set a bedtime — our sleep calculator plans bedtimes around 90-minute sleep cycles, and the age calculator can confirm your exact age band.
These recommendations are used internationally — the UK's NHS, and health bodies in Canada, Australia and elsewhere cite very similar ranges. Sleep need is biological, so the hours apply wherever you live.