The statement that you need eight hours of sleep per night is thrown about as fact. The problem is that it is only  a hypothesis. Scientists are only guessing about the eight hours. The amount of sleep you need is based on your age and  on how healthy you are. Every person needs as adequate amount of sleep in order to function correctly. Proper sleep allows us to be alert, perform to our highest abilities and keep us at our optimum health. So eight hours is the amount of sleep needed by the average person, meaning that some people need less than 6 hours while some need more than 9 hours. Thus an average of 8 hours of sleep at night.

Newborns sleep 14-16 hours per day. They need this amount of sleep because of the amount of growing they are doing.  Babies around the age of 3-6 months sleep 10-14 hours sleep. Again, because of the exorbitant amount of growing that is going on. Children and teens need 10-14 hours sleep. This amount of sleep is normally considered laziness in teenagers. They always want to take a nap or are falling asleep in class. Due to the hormonal changes and the internal changes going on inside a teenager they need a great deal more sleep than even they realize. The average adult needs approximately 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Again this depends upon a person’s health. Regular exercise during the day as well as a well balanced diet actually requires less sleep because a better quality of sleep is achieved. Pregnant women need 3 additional hours of sleep a day. It is said that a pregnant woman’s body is doing the job of a rock climber while she is at rest. Thus the need for at least 3 extra hours of sleep per day.

It’s about the quality of the sleep you get, not just the hours. In order to get the most out of a good night’s sleep you should understand the whole system. Stage one is when you’re drowsy. You are relaxed but still somewhat aware of the world around you. This lasts for approximately 10-15 minutes. Step 2 is light sleep. Your temperature starts to decline, your movements tend to stop, your heart rate reduces as your body slows for rest. Step 3 is deep sleep. You are unaware of the world around you. You’re groggy and completely disoriented. Deep sleep is when hormone cells begin to regenerate. Scientists have discovered that those who exercise stay in this stage 2-3 times as long as those that don’t exercise. Stage 5 is REM sleep. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. This is the last 5-6 hours of an 8 hour sleep. How much sleep you get in this stage depends upon how much sleep you get per night.

While you are sleeping the body is repairing itself and rebuilding parts that need assistance.  You know that you have achieved the right amount and the right quality of sleep when you wake feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. If you have trouble focusing during the day or find yourself nodding off then perhaps you need more sleep.

Find out how much sleep you need by trying out a sleep reduction experiment. The first night get the least amount of sleep you believe you can function on. Don’t be crazy and not sleep at all. Start out at 5-6 hours sleep. Take note of how you feel in the morning. Are you dragging or did you bounce out of bed? Now did you need a nap halfway through the day? Then  try adding one hour of sleep to the amount you slept the night before. Repeat this exercise until you not only bounce out of bed, you don’t feel sleepy during the day anymore. If you’re getting the right amount of sleep, going to bed at the same time every night, as well as getting up at the same time every day, then you may soon find yourself throwing out that alarm clock because you have optimized your body’s natural alarm clock.

When kids can’t sleep, it can be a nightmare for their loving parents. Here are some useful tips on how to handle sleeping disorders in children.

As adults, many of us are reluctant to seek advice when we have trouble sleeping. We assume it’s related to a source of stress or frustration and silently hope that when we solve that problem we will also solve our sleeping problems. But when it’s your child that can’t sleep it’s a whole other issue. The good news is that most sleep irregularities are temporary. Remember that regularity is crucial to good sleeping habits in both children and adults. If your children are not on a steady schedule then it’s time to put them on one. Here is a list of tips that will set your children up for a good night’s sleep:

No caffeine. Ideally kids shouldn’t have caffeine at all, but society and clever marketing have us convinced that it’s an acceptable choice for our children and ourselves. Thus caffeine is a regular culprit when kids can’t sleep. If you are going to allow your children to have caffeine, then make it a special treat and limit it strictly to morning and afternoon meals.

Establish pre-sleep routines. At least an hour before bedtime, your child should start their pre-sleep routine. For most kids, this includes brushing their teeth, bathing, putting on their pajamas, and having a story read to them or having their parents tuck them in. These simple routines can be done at home or while away on vacation and signify to your child both consciously and subconsciously that it’s time to prepare for sleep.

Know what your children need. Many times it’s not that kids can’t sleep, it’s that they don’t want to, but being lenient about bedtime is one of the biggest and most harmful mistakes a parent can make. A surprising majority of the population thinks that eight hours is not only the ideal amount of sleep for them but for their children too. In truth, children between the ages of five and 12 should still be sleeping 9 to 12 hours a night. Progressively later bedtimes for children in this age group have led to a large number of sleep-deprived children. Don’t let yours be among that number!

If your child seems tired during the day and especially if they are falling asleep during the day, then they are not getting enough sleep. Remember to model good sleep behaviors in your own life, and to be considerate of your child’s sleeping needs when you are still awake (lower the TV volume, shut off lights that are visible from their room, etc).

While virtually everyone will have sleep problems at some point in their life, there are some situations that are better handled by professionals. How do you know when to go to a doctor? You should go to a doctor any time that your kids can’t sleep due to physical discomfort. You should also get medical attention if you suspect your child has a sleeping disorder and their sleep loss has continued for an extended period of time. Finally, if your child is sleeping but has irregular sleep patterns or is still tired when they wake up, consult your doctor about possible solutions.