Those of us with sleep debt have probably forgotten what it feels like to be truly rested.
However, research shows it’s not just parents who are sleep deprived: The National Sleep Foundation has revealed that children should be getting more sleep than experts originally thought.
Tasked with updating the official recommendations, 18 scientists and researchers came together to form the NSF’s expert panel and review more than 300 sleep studies.
A summary of the recommendations on how much shut-eye you and your children should be getting includes:
- Newborns (0-3 months ): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18)
- Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15)
- Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14)
- Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13)
- School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11)
- Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5)
- Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
- Adults (26-64): Sleep range is 7-9 hours
- Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)
The NSF adds that it is important to “make sleep a priority” (easier said than done, we say!)
Paving the way for better sleep isn’t always easy when you’re a parent, but even just simple things like turning off electronics before bed can be really effective in helping you get healthier sleep when you finally do fall into bed.
Here’s hoping for more and better quality shut-eye for the whole household tonight!
