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National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary
Max Hirshkowitz1, Kaitlyn Whiton2, Steven M Albert3
1Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Division of Public Mental Health and Population Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Sleep Health
|October 27, 2017
Summary
Updated sleep duration guidelines for healthy individuals show age-specific needs, ranging from 7–8 hours for older adults to 14–17 hours for newborns. These recommendations aim to promote optimal health and well-being across the lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Science
- Public Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Establishing evidence-based sleep duration recommendations is crucial for public health.
- Previous guidelines required updating to reflect current scientific literature.
- Sleep duration significantly impacts overall health and well-being across all age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a scientifically rigorous update to the National Sleep Foundation's sleep duration recommendations.
- To establish expert consensus on appropriate sleep durations for various age groups.
- To inform the public and healthcare professionals about optimal sleep needs.
Main Methods:
- Convened an 18-member multidisciplinary expert panel.
- Utilized the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method for evidence evaluation.
- Systematically reviewed scientific literature on sleep duration and health outcomes.
Main Results:
- Newborns: 14–17 hours; Infants: 12–15 hours; Toddlers: 11–14 hours; Preschoolers: 10–13 hours; School-aged children: 9–11 hours.
- Teenagers: 8–10 hours; Young adults and adults: 7–9 hours; Older adults: 7–8 hours.
- These are guidelines for healthy individuals without sleep disorders.
Conclusions:
- Sleep duration needs are variable across the lifespan and individually.
- Deviations from recommended ranges may indicate underlying health issues or compromise well-being.
- These updated recommendations serve as essential guidelines for healthy sleep.
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