--- description: The National Sleep Foundation releases new recommendations title: Here's How Much Experts Think You Should Sleep Every Night image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt728c2e54f8efe1be/6988c0d897cdffaa856b0091/time-health-stock-no-sleep.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Feb 02, 2015 # Here's How Much Experts Think You Should Sleep Every Night by [Alexandra Sifferlin](/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close  Getty Images A national panel of sleep experts [released new recommendations](http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need "undefined") Monday that call for more hours of sleep for most young people. The National Sleep Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at promoting healthy sleep and safety, says the amount of sleep a person needs is highly variable and that some people need more than others. Still, the new hour ranges for each age group recommend more hours for infants, kids and teens: * **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 did not change and remains 7-9 hours * **Older adults (65+):** Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category) **MORE** [The Power of Sleep](http://time.com/3326565/the-power-of-sleep/ "undefined") To come up with the new recommendations, the foundation put together a panel of 18 scientists and researchers from prominent medical associations in the United States and asked them to review over 300 studies on how much sleep is ideal. The panel then voted on how much sleep is appropriate at different ages. Getting too little sleep and getting too much sleep are both unhealthy behaviors that can lead to a variety of consequences from grogginess to [weight gain](http://time.com/103550/sleep-deprivation-in-infants-affects-obesity-later-in-life/ "undefined"). ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The u0022farm to tableu0022 movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  u003cstrongu003eBurlington, Vt.u003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Raising Healthy Kidsu003c/emu003enThis New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  u003cstrongu003eSilicon Valley, Calif.u003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Workplace Wellnessu003c/emu003enWith treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  u003cstrongu003eMinneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.u003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Aging Wellu003c/emu003enYes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  u003cstrongu003eDenver and Boulder, Colo.u003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Keeping Fitu003c/emu003enThe urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  u003cstrongu003ePlano, Texasu003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Staying Safeu003c/emu003enOnce a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  u003cstrongu003ePortland, Ore.u003c/strongu003enBest Place for a Healthy Environmentu003c/emu003enSmall, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  u003cstrongu003eBoston, Mass.u003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Health Careu003c/emu003enThis history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  u003cstrongu003eProvo and Orem, Utahu003c/strongu003enu003cemu003eBest Place for Spiritual Well-Beingu003c/emu003enA stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. Getty Images _Read next:_ [_Let Your Kids Sleep More For Better Grades_](http://time.com/3663796/for-better-grades-let-your-kids-sleep-more/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://www.time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/3691992/sleep-hours-recommendations/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/3691992/sleep-hours-recommendations/"},"headline":"Here's How Much Experts Think You Should Sleep Every Night","datePublished":"2015-02-02T15:00:04.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-02T23:06:05.476Z","description":"The National Sleep Foundation releases new recommendations","url":"https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/3691992/sleep-hours-recommendations/","keywords":["Research","Sleep","Evergreen"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt728c2e54f8efe1be/6988c0d897cdffaa856b0091/time-health-stock-no-sleep.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"creator":"Alexandra Sifferlin","articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt728c2e54f8efe1be/6988c0d897cdffaa856b0091/time-health-stock-no-sleep.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/guide-to-sleep/3691992/sleep-hours-recommendations/","name":"Here's How Much Experts Think You Should Sleep Every Night"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Should I Drink Seltzer Water?","description":"Seltzer -- also known as bubbly water, carbonated water, soda water and sparkling water -- comes with as many health myths as it does names. 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