How Much Sleep Do Adults Really Need?

Sleep isn't wasted time. While you rest, your body and brain do essential work — restoring energy, supporting learning and memory, regulating hormones, and helping your immune system. Yet many Americans regularly get less sleep than they need.

So how much is enough? Here's what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, plus how to tell whether you're getting enough.

Recommended sleep for adults

According to the CDC, adults need:

Children and teens need more sleep than adults. Individual needs vary somewhat, but consistently sleeping less than 7 hours is associated with health risks for adults.

Why sleep matters

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) describes sleep as a basic human need, like eating and drinking. It explains that sleep deficiency is linked to a higher risk of several chronic health problems, including:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Depression

Lack of sleep also raises the risk of injuries and accidents, including drowsy driving. NHLBI notes that research does not support the idea that people can "train" themselves to function well on very little sleep.

In the short term, not getting enough sleep can affect your mood, focus, decision-making, reaction time, and appetite.

It's not just about hours

NHLBI explains that sleep deficiency is broader than not getting enough hours. It also includes:

• Sleeping at the wrong time of day (out of sync with your body's natural clock)
• Poor-quality sleep, or not getting all the types of sleep your body needs
• Having a sleep disorder that interrupts sleep

So eight hours of frequently interrupted sleep may leave you feeling less rested than seven hours of solid sleep.

Signs you may not be getting enough sleep

• Needing an alarm to wake up almost every day, and struggling to get out of bed
• Feeling drowsy during the day, especially during quiet activities like reading or driving
• Relying on caffeine to get through the day
• Trouble concentrating or remembering things
• Irritability or low mood
• Sleeping much longer on weekends to "catch up"

How to find your personal sleep need

One simple experiment: during a vacation or a stretch of days without early obligations, go to bed when you feel sleepy and wake without an alarm. After a few days, the amount you naturally settle into is a reasonable estimate of what your body needs.

Common reasons adults don't get enough sleep

• Work schedules, long commutes, or shift work
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Screens and electronics late at night
• Caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime (see how everyday habits affect sleep)
• Stress and racing thoughts
• Pain or other medical conditions
• Sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea

How to get more (and better) sleep

• Keep a consistent schedule, going to bed and waking at the same times every day, including weekends.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Our guide to building a bedtime routine walks you through it.
• Make your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
• Limit screens before bed.
• Get regular physical activity, but avoid intense workouts right before bed if they keep you awake.
• Limit caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

For a full checklist, see our 12 sleep hygiene habits.

The bottom line

Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a night, and both quality and consistency matter. Treat sleep as a priority — like nutrition and exercise — and talk with a professional if sleep problems persist.