Sleep is important for our mental and physical wellness.  It helps with our cognitive functioning, energy level, fend off diseases, recharge our mind and body, and regulation of emotions.  The amount of sleep we need depends on different reasons, especially our age.  Here is a list of the suggested hours based on age.

Age Group                              Recommended Per Night

Newborn (0-3 months)                    14 to 17 hours

Babies (4-11 months)                         12 to 16 hours

Toddlers (1-2 years)                             11 to 14 hours

Preschoolers (3-5 years)                   10 to 13 hours

School Aged (6-12 years)                   9 to 12 hours

Teenagers (13-17 years)                      8 to 10 hours

Adults (18-64 years)                            7 to 9 hours

Older Adults (65+ years)                    7 yo 8 hours

Many people experience problems with their sleeping.  For example, difficulty falling asleep or waking up during the night. Also, they do not have a refreshing night of sleep, and they experience problems staying awake in the daytime.  The components that can contribute to inadequate sleep for adults include chronic stress, medical problems (i.e., acid reflux), mental health challenges (i.e., anxiety, depression), poor sleep habits (i.e., cellular phones in bed), living a sedentary lifestyle (inactivity, lack of physical exercise), sleep disorder (i.e., sleep apnea), and work schedules (i.e., shift work).  

According to research on sleep and mental health (2023) by (Clayborne, et al.), “Over one-third of Canadians between 5 and 79 years old fail to obtain the daily recommended amount of sleep.  Furthermore, one-quarter of adults aged 18 to 79 and one-tenth of children and youth aged 5 to 17 years in Canada report problems with falling or staying asleep most or all of the time.”  

Individuals who have sleep problems can experience problems with their mental and physical health such as difficulty concentrating, feeling fatigued, moodiness, irritability, high blood pressure and headaches.  In a study conducted by the Public Health Agency of Canada, it stated that “Good sleep behaviours are associated with reduced risk of adverse health conditions, including mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental and cognitive disorders, accidents, and injuries” and “Among adults, 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night have been most favourably associated with positive health outcomes, whereas shorter and longer sleep durations have been associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes.” (Wang et al., 2022)

A healthy sleep pattern (amount of hours and quality of sleep) is important, so develop a good sleep hygiene to relax your body and prepare for sleep and foster better sleep.  Things you can include are as follows: 

• Limit daytime naps to 30 minutes
• Exercise regularly (some physical activity such as walking is better than none)
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and eating large meals close to bedtime
• Schedule a regular time to go sleep and wake up
• Establish a bedtime routine (shower, listen o relaxing music)
• Engage in a mindfulness activity, meditation, deep breathing exercise for relaxation
• Turn off electronics (cellular phone, laptops, tablets, television) 60 minutes before going to bed
• Create an environment in your bedroom that is comfortable, cool, dark, quiet
• If unable to sleep, get out of your bed and engage in an activity such as reading, then return to bed when feeling sleepy

Think about what changes you can make in your sleep pattern to cultivate a positive impact on your life and wellness.

References

• Clayborne, Z., Dopko, R., Wang, C., Betancourt, M., Roberts, K., and Capaldi, C. (2023).  Original quantitative research: Associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with indicators of mental health among youth and adults: findings from the 2015 Canadian community health survey. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada: Research, Policy and Practice Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5, 243-269.  https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-5-2023/associations-sleep-duration-sleep-quality-indicators-mental-health-among-youth-and-adults.html 
• National Sleep Foundation. (2020, October 1).  How much sleep do you really need?  https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/
• Paruthi, S., Brooks, L., D’Ambrosio, C,  Hall, W., Kotagal, S., MD6; Lloyd, R., Malow, B., Maski, K., Nchols, C., Quan, S., Rosen, C., Troester, M., and Wise, M. (2016).  Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: A consensus statement of the American academy of sleep medicine.  Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 6, 785-786.  https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.5866
• Wang, C, Colley, R., Roberts, K, Chaput, JP, and Thompson, W. (2022).  Sleep behaviours among Canadian adults: Findings from the 2020 Canadian community health survey healthy living rapid response module.  Statistics Canada https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2022003/article/00001-eng.htm