Newborn Babies Sleep 16 to 18 Hours a Day

New parents often feel they never sleep. Their babies sleep a great deal. The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that babies initially sleep as much as 16 to 18 hours per day, which may boost growth and development, especially of the brain. The word may is the institute’s own, and the reason is part of a wider mystery: everyone needs sleep, but its biological purpose remains unclear. What is clear is that the need changes with age. According to the institute, school-age children and teens on average need about 9.5 hours of sleep per night, and most adults need 7 to 9 hours. Sleep is not idle time at any age. The brain and body stay remarkably active during sleep, which affects almost every type of tissue and system in the body, from the brain and heart to mood and disease resistance.