top of page

How much sleep do you need?

Writer: Sophie Bostock, PhD
Sophie Bostock, PhD
Feb 6, 2021
1 min read

This is probably the question I get asked most frequently! The answer is.. well, the answer is, that there is no one answer that suits everyone. It depends.


If right now you're...

- waking up every morning without an alarm clock

- feeling well rested

- not loading up on caffeine and sugar to keep you going

- not 'catching up' on sleep at the weekends to catch up..

.. your sleep is probably in pretty good shape.


If not, it could be time for a little trial and error. The National Sleep Foundation in the US published their recommendations for sleep duration back in 2015 based on the science at the time. I have a sneaky feeling these might get renewed soon, but I would guess that the recommendations won't change significantly. You can read more here.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073398/ (Hirshkowitz et al 2019).



12 Comments


Philipsalt
5 days ago

Bahut achhi information share ki gayi hai. Varnmala in Hindi ke basic letters samajhne mein bachchon ko zaroor help milegi.

Like

pocenoleku
Sep 27

Opioid-related addiction may require specialized treatment because withdrawal and cravings can be challenging. Medication for opioid use disorder can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan, alongside counseling and other support. Ventura County has several treatment resources offering medication-assisted services for opioid-related conditions. Treatment decisions should be made with qualified healthcare professionals who consider substance use history and individual health needs. Continuing care can https://ojairecovery.com/ include counseling, recovery planning, case management, and community support to help individuals work toward stable recovery. i like this post.

Like

Rose Black
Sep 21

The mixture of racing and combat makes Smash Karts especially entertaining, as players need to control their karts at high speed while deciding when to use collected weapons and how to respond when opponents launch unexpected attacks.

Like

William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Sep 17

I always find practical networking guides useful because they make router-related tasks easier to understand. The information about 10.0.0.0.1 can help users learn about router access, configuration settings, and basic troubleshooting. Clear guidance is especially helpful when checking network options or dealing with everyday connection issues.

Like

xin wang
xin wang
Jul 19

Read "How much sleep do you need?" a moment ago, and the practical angle stood out right away. The part around youtube playlist time calculator really stood out to me. Looking forward to reading more like this.

Like

HOW CAN I HELP?

Every few weeks I tackle a juicy sleep question in the Sleep to Peak newsletter. Sign up for monthly updates, or to get your question answered.

​

If you'd like more information about speaking, coaching, or consulting, please get in touch! You can also reach Sophie at sophie@thesleepscientist.com.

​

  • LinkedIn Social Icon
  • Instagram
  • Twitter Social Icon
  • YouTube Social  Icon

Thanks for signing up!

© 2026 Sophie Bostock Version 4.0.

Based in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Privacy Policy.

bottom of page