P3008

Sleep: As Important as Diet and Exercise for All Ages

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

Age	Hours Needed
Newborn (0–3 months)	14–17 hours per day
Infant (4–11 months)	12–15 hours per day
Toddler (1–2 years)	11–14 hours per day
Preschool (3–5 years)	10–13 hours per day
School-age (6–13 years)	9–11 hours per night
Teenager (14–17 years)	8–10 hours per night
Young adult (18–25 years)	7–9 hours per night
Adult (26–64 years)	7–9 hours per night
Older adult (65+ years)	7–8 hours per night

General Sleep Tips

Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule, even on the weekends.
Make your bedroom quiet, cool, dark, and comfortable.
Use a fan or sound machine rather than a TV if you need noise to fall asleep.
Create a bedtime routine that includes relaxing activities such as reading, taking a warm bath (not too close to bedtime), or eating a light snack.
If you do not fall asleep within 30 minutes of trying or you wake up during the night and cannot go back to sleep, leave the bedroom until you feel sleepy.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, heavy meals, and/or vigorous exercise before bedtime.
Try relaxation and stress-reduction techniques before going to bed.
Avoid over-the-counter sleep medicines.
Avoid TV, computer, and cell phone lights close to bedtime.

Sleep Hygiene

Not sleeping enough on a regular basis and not getting good sleep each night is related to a number of physical, social, cognitive, and behavioral problems:

Obesity
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Cancer
Alzheimer’s
Increased sickness
Increased accidents
Reduced response time
Increased anger/aggression
Misbehavior
Shorter attention
Reduced learning
Reduced memory
Poorer test performance
Increased depression/anxiety

Nutrition Information

Some foods may help you rest, while others make it hard to get good rest.

Good Snack Ideas

Snack on a combination of carbohydrates and proteins before bed:

Toast with peanut butter
Cereal with milk
Crackers with cheese

Snacks to Avoid

Coffee
Soft drinks
Chocolate
Spicy or sugary foods

Caffeine takes a few hours to get out of your system, so be sure you are not having it too close to bedtime.

Eating too much or having a heavy meal before bed can disturb sleep.

Helpful Links

Sleep Foundation

Sleep Education (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Sleep for Kids (The National Sleep Foundation)

Sleep Center Directory (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

For More Information

Dr. Lori Staton, Professor of Human Sciences
(662) 325-1295, Lstaton@humansci.msstate.edu

Publication 3008 (POD-11-25)

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P3008