In college, it can be fairly easy to de-value sleep by staying up late either to have fun at a party or study for a test and then get up early for class.
But the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) says that would be a mistake. In an article titled "How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?" the organization said in a chart that young adults aged 18-25 generally need six to 11 hours of sleep, with seven to nine hours being optimal.
"Millions of individuals trust the National Sleep Foundation for its sleep duration recommendations. As the voice for sleep health it is the NSF's responsibility to make sure that our recommendations are supported by the most rigorous science," Dr. Charles Czeisler, chairman of the board of the NSF and chief of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in the release. "Individuals, particularly parents, rely on us for this information."
The organization said there are important factors to consider when finding the "sweet spot," the right amount of sleep to get each night. The NSF recommends people consider their weight, caffeine consumption, disease risk, sleeping disorders like insomnia and sleepiness during the day to consistently achieve fulfilling sleep.
When a person finds that "sweet spot," it is important to stick to it to develop a circadian rhythm, a natural sleep-awake pattern. To maximize this rhythm, it is important to wind down before going to bed, eliminate potential electronic disruptors and try to avoid any food or drink that could make it hard to fall asleep too close to bedtime.
The NSF also found that regular exercise aids sleep.
"The NSF has committed to regularly reviewing and providing scientifically rigorous recommendations," Dr. Max Hirshkowitz, NSF Scientific Advisory Council Chair, said in the release. "The public can be confident that these recommendations represent the best guidance for sleep duration and health."
