Panel of Experts Recommend New Sleep Durations

A multidisciplinary expert panel working with the US National Sleep Foundation (NSF; Arlington, VA, USA) has issued new recommendations for appropriate sleep durations.

The NSF convened experts from different disciplines, such as sleep, anatomy and physiology, pediatrics, neurology, gerontology, and gynecology to reach a consensus from the broadest range of scientific experts. The panel revised the recommended sleep ranges for all six children and teen age groups, and recommended new groups as well.

The summary of the recommendations, which were published in the January 2015 issue of Sleep Health, are:
Newborns (0–3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14–17 hours each day (previously 12–18)
Infants (4–11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12–15 hours (previously 14–15)
Toddlers (1–2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11–14 hours (previously 12–14)
Preschoolers (3–5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10–13 hours (previously 11–13)
School age children (6–13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9–11 hours (previously 10–11)
Teenagers (14–17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8–10 hours (previously 8.5-9.5)
Younger adults (18–25): Sleep range is 7–9 hours (new age category)
Adults (26–64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7–9 hours
Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category)

“This is the first time that any professional organization has developed age-specific recommended sleep durations based on a rigorous, systematic review of the world scientific literature relating sleep duration to health, performance and safety,” said Prof. Charles Czeisler, PhD, MD, chairman of the board of the NSF, and chief of sleep and circadian disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA, USA). “The National Sleep Foundation is providing these scientifically grounded guidelines on the amount of sleep we need each night to improve the sleep health of the millions of individuals and parents who rely on us for this information.”

“The NSF has committed to regularly reviewing and providing scientifically rigorous recommendations,” said Prof. Max Hirshkowitz, PhD, of Stanford University (CA, USA), chair of the NSF Scientific Advisory Council. “The public can be confident that these recommendations represent the best guidance for sleep duration and health.”

Related Links:
US National Sleep Foundation