Quality sleep is vital to your long-term health. At Bogrow & Associates we want you to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. While the exact amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, everyone needs sufficient sleep to stay happy and healthy.
Age is a major factor that can affect the amount of sleep you need. Let’s explore how age impacts sleep and how many people are actually getting enough sleep.

Age

Different age groups have different sleep requirements. While some may need more than others, it doesn’t change the fact that every person young or old needs to get enough to live life to the fullest.

Infants and Children

Babies and small children need the most sleep out of everyone. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, infants aged between four and twelve months old need as much as 16 hours of sleep every day, and by the age of three to five years, they still need at least 10-13 hours of sleep.

Teens

For people aged 13-18, the National Sleep Foundation recommends between eight to ten hours of sleep a night. Unsurprisingly, according to the CDC, a majority of this group is not getting enough sleep.

Adults

While adults need less sleep than teens, they still need at least seven hours every night. According to the CDC, adults aged 18-60 need at least seven hours of sleep, adults aged 61-64 need seven to nine hours, and adults 65 and older need seven to eight hours.

Do Most Americans Get Enough Sleep?

While we know how much sleep people should be getting, how much sleep do they actually get? Gallup has been tracking how much sleep Americans have been getting since 1942. Here’s what they found.

Americans Used to Sleep More

The amount of sleep Americans are getting has been on the decline since it was first measured in the 40’s. In 1942, Americans reported an average of 7.9 hours of sleep a night. The most current poll in 2013 indicates an average of 6.8 hours of sleep a night.
Even more shocking is the fact that polls indicate that 40 percent of Americans are now sleeping six hours or less a night. That is an increase of 29 percent of the number of short sleepers since 1942. In 1942, 84 percent of Americans got the recommended amount of sleep every night. That number has declined to 59% since it was last polled in 2013.

Older Americans Get More Sleep

As Americans get older, they tend to get more sleep. A large portion of young adults doesn’t get enough sleep, with 46 percent of those aged 18-29 getting six or fewer hours of sleep a night. This is in stark contrast to the 67 percent of Americans aged 65 and up that do get the recommended amount of sleep.

Sleep Apnea and Sleep Quality

Even if you are getting eight or more hours of sleep every night, a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea prevents it from being the quality, restorative sleep you deserve. We need sleep in order to maintain healthy mood regulation, a proper appetite, and a strong immune system. We want you to live life on your own terms and to do that you need quality sleep. Therefore, treating sleep apnea at its onset is vital for your overall health.

Schedule a Visit with Dr. Bogrow

If you have sleep apnea and are having a hard time wearing your CPAP mask, you are not alone. At Bogrow & Associates, we have comfortable and effective oral appliances that can help you get the sleep you so desperately need.
Whether you need a CPAP alternative or a solution to fix a snoring problem, Dr. Bogrow will work with you to find the solution that is tailored to meet your needs. Schedule your consultation at our office in Southfield today.