How much sleep should the average person have?

Answer 1

There is a large degree of individual difference in sleep requirements. Some adult individuals in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties seem to require as little as four hours and some as many as thirteen hours. Even at these extremes these individuals do not show the reduction in quality of life associated with a sleep disorders such as insomnia (disorders initiating and maintaining sleep) or hypersomnia (disorders of excessive sleep and sleepiness). The amount of required sleep also changes over the lifespan for every individual. A baby can require fourteen hours at a particular age and then in late life need only six hours. At both of these ages some sleep may come during a consolidated period of sleep at night and some during napping. Thus, it is very difficult to answer your question.

The functional level of awakeness that is considered satisfactory will also influence your answer. A sleep deprived individual can feel and appear awake but does not pay attention as well, does not react as quickly, makes poorer judgments, and does not retain or recall information in memory as well. So, how much sleep is required in order to do what and how well?

The average twenty-five to thirty year old male in good health, working at a desk job but getting a healthy amount of moderate exercise, and who is not under the pressure of functioning in an emergency situation, usually can do very well with between 7.5 and 8.5 hours of uninterupted sleep at night. If the sleep is interupted by environmental events, the quality of sleep can be degraded. If deep sleep or dreaming sleep or light sleep is disrupted in some consistent way over an extended period of time, then specific kinds of intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities can be reduced.

If you personally feel you need more sleep in order to function appropriately in what you are doing when you are awake, then you probably correctly know that you need more sleep. But the reverse judgment is not so easy to make; you can make mistakes in judging whether you are really functioning well enough, when you are not getting enough sleep. Also, as people get older they often expect to continue feeling and acting like a younger person and blame the difference on natural changes to their sleep needs and cycles.

Answer 2

A child should have 10, and an adult should have 8 as a minimum and that does not change as we get elderly. It is the pain that comes with getting older that causes us to be more sedentary and the more sedentary you are the more you will become. Works the same way with energy, as much as you give away you will receive. So, even if you do not feel like it, be in the sun at least 5 minutes a day, exercise 30 three times a week, and add fish pill before you have bowel trouble, which will cause insomnia.

Answer 3

9

Answer 4

The amount of sleep one needs definitely varies with the individual. Typically, eight hours a night is considered the average amount of sleep needed in a twenty-four hour cycle for a human adult. The best way to find out how much sleep you need is by trial and error. Find out how much you need in order to feel refreshed in the morning and to stay alert during the day on a regular basis.

Some people seem to get along fine with very little sleep at night. The video "Secrets of Sleep," reports on several individuals who lead productive lives with very little sleep (ranging from 1-5 hours a night) and the belief that their need for less sleep may be genetic. (1)

Edison vs. Einstein: Two Extremes
The two famous scientists Einstein and Edison had very different sleep patterns. (2). Thomas Edison is said to claimed sleep to be a waste of time. He did, however take naps during the day. Albert Einstein, on the other hand, was aware of his sleep needs, acknowledging that he needed ten hours of sleep for optimum performance.

This wide range of sleep needs appears natural. Researchers have determined there are two types of sleepers: the long sleepers and the short sleepers. Long sleepers need many hours of sleep, while short sleepers need a few hours less. By taking a closer look at both types of sleepers, it has been found that short sleepers spend a proportionally large amount of time in REM and Stage-4. Long sleepers, on the other hand, spend a proportionally large amount of time in stage 2 sleep.

Answer 5

About 6-8 hours a night.

Answer 6

6-8 hours a night depending on the person

Answer 7

It varies on each person - but typically most people will need 6-8 hours.

The issue is it's not just the quantity - it's the quality of sleep you are getting.

Answer 8

8-10 hours

Answer 9

for children its 10 - 12 hrs
for older person 7 - 8 hrs...

depends on the age of the person.....

Answer 10

every person should get at least 9 hours of sleep