Most Adults Need 7 to 9 Hours of Sleep, Even Older People

It is often said that people need less sleep as they get older. The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says otherwise: most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, even older people. The numbers change earlier in life. Babies initially sleep as much as 16 to 18 hours a day, and school-age children and teens need about 9.5 hours a night on average. Getting enough has real effects. The institute calls quality sleep as essential to survival as food and water. Lack of sleep makes it harder to concentrate and respond quickly, and research shows that a chronic lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep, increases the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and obesity. Sleep also affects metabolism, immune function and mood.