How much sleep do we need and why is sleep important? Most doctors would tell us that the amount of sleep one needs varies from person to person. We should feel refreshed and alert upon awakening and not need a day time nap to get us through the day. Sleep needs change from birth to old age. The general thought is that newborns through the first year need up to 18 hours daily, 1-3 year olds need 12-15, ages 3-5 need 11-13 hours, 2-12 year olds need 9-11, and teens need 9-10 hours. Adult sleep needs (beginning around 17 years old through the elderly) are generally 7- 8 hours.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://hmeinteractive.com/clients/asaa/sleepapnea/importance-sleep-understanding-sleep-stages/