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The Normal Duration of Daily Sleep for Different Age Groups

Posted: 8/25/2005

Question
What is the normal duration of daily sleep for different age groups?

Response from Phyllis C. Zee, MD, PhD

Professor of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois;
Director, Sleep Disorders Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

Although there are considerable individual differences in sleep duration (and presumably sleep
requirement) across all ages, the average duration of sleep and sleep pattern does change with
age. As children mature, they begin to assume more adult-like sleep patterns (lower total amount
of sleep and consolidation of sleep into the night). [1] In addition, with maturation, there are
prominent changes in sleep structure (architecture), such as a decrease in the amount of REM
sleep from birth (50% of sleep) through early childhood into adulthood (25% to 30% of sleep). [2] In
addition, the initial preponderance of deep or slow-wave sleep in early childhood decreases after
puberty and continues to decline over one's lifespan. School-aged children (6-12 years of age)
average approximately 10-11 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. Research studies suggest that
adolescents generally require about 9-9.25 hours of sleep per night [2] ; however, many are getting
less than 8 hours of sleep per school night. [1,3] The physiologic preference for delayed sleep onset
and wake times, coupled with the demands of school and social life, contributes to sleep
deprivation in adolescents. [3]

Adults average about 7-8 hours of sleep per day. [4] Recent evidence shows an intriguing
association between short self-reported sleep duration (6 hours or less) and increased risk for
coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. [5,6] In adults, total sleep time, sleep efficiency,
percentage of slow-wave sleep, and percentage of REM sleep significantly decrease with age,
while light sleep and wake after sleep onset increased with age. [7] The decline in deep sleep
begins around age 36-50. [8] However, it is important to note that these changes are less
prominent among women and in the healthiest older adults. [7]

In summary, sleep duration as well as structure changes with age and reflects alterations in
physiology and health.
References

1. Millman RP; Working Group on Sleepiness in Adolescents/Young Adults; AAP Committee on

Adolescence. Excessive sleepiness in adolescents and young adults: causes, consequences,
and treatment strategies. Pediatrics. 2005;115:1774-1786.
2. Mindell JA. Developmental features of sleep. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 1999;8:695-
725.
3. Hansen M, Janssen I, Schiff A, Zee PC, Dubocovich ML. The impact of school daily schedule
on adolescent sleep. Pediatrics. 2005;115:1555-1561.
4. Foley D, Ancoli-Israel S, Britz P, Walsh J. Sleep disturbances and chronic disease in older
adults: results of the 2003 National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Survey. J Psychosom
Res. 2004;56:497-502.
5. Ayas NT, White DP, Manson JE, et al. A prospective study of sleep duration and coronary heart
disease in women. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:205-209.
6. Ayas NT, White DP, Al-Delaimy WK, et al. A prospective study of self-reported sleep duration
and incident diabetes in women. Diabetes Care. 2003;26:380-384.
7. Ohayon MM, Carskadon MA, Guilleminault C, Vitiello MV. Meta-analysis of quantitative sleep
parameters from childhood to old age in healthy individuals: developing normative sleep values
across the human lifespan. Sleep. 2004;27:1255-1273.
8. Van Cauter E, Leproult R, Plat L. Age-related changes in slow wave sleep and REM sleep and
relationship with growth hormone and cortisol levels in healthy men. JAMA. 2000;284:861-868.

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