There's a reason why you shouldn't necessarily be sleeping like a baby.
According to an infographic by viral website Fogs.com, sleeping like a baby literally means sleeping 12 to 18 hours — which we can all say we wouldn't mind every once in a while. Adults over the age of 18 instead should be sleeping at least 7.5 hours to 9 hours a night.
Breaking it down even more, teens and pre-teens should be sleeping 8.5 hours to 10 hours, school-aged kids should be sleeping 10 to 11 hours, toddlers should be sleeping 12 to 14 hours and infants (over three months) should be getting at least 14 to 15 hours a night.
The graphic also highlights the most common sleeping positions for the average adult. At least 7 per cent of us sleep on our fronts, or the "freefaller," another 15 per cent of us sleep on our sides, and 41 per cent of people sleep in the fetal position.
Health experts have always wavered on the idea of the real number of hours people should be sleeping, according to Everyday Health. "Technically, there is no one-size-fits-all prescription for sleep. Everyone’s needs are different, so while some people may feel the effects of just one night of missed slumber, others may be able to endure three or four nights before slowing down," said writer Allison Takeda of Everyday Health. She also adds people should at least consider 7 to 9 hours or they might begin to lose the ability to perform everyday tasks.
Messing with your sleeping schedule is never a good idea. One report found that "night owls" or people who snooze till noon might actually be suffering from Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, according to YourBeauty.com. Other dangers of sleep deprivation include raising the risk for heart disease, stroke, dementia, and even cancer in the long run, according to Everyday Health.
Check out the full infographic at Infographic Archives.
