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How Much Sleep Should You Get? Here's A Handy Chart

How Much Sleep You Should Get In One Handy Chart

Many of us forget what it's like to be well-rested. Sleep is often the last priority in our daily routine, and by the time we're actually in bed, our minds are spinning.

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to get more shut-eye, you might wonder how much you actually need. The National Sleep Foundation has compiled new guidelines that show the ideal amount of rest for people of all ages.

Among those who helped update the guidelines were scientists and researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Neurological Association and the American Psychiatric Association, who reviewed over 300 scientific publications during the process.

While these are "recommended" amounts of sleep, the NSF is careful to stress you should listen to your body. If you feel sleepy during the day, or rely on caffeine to get you through, you probably need more time in bed. And as you may note from the chart, for the majority of adults, up to 10 hours might be appropriate!

There are also many habits you can pick up to improve the quality of your rest. The NSF advises you stick to a sleep schedule, avoid booze and caffeine before bed, and turn off electronics. You should also pay attention to the lighting, noise and temperature in your bedroom.

However, if you suffer from chronic insomnia, sometimes even checking off all these boxes won't help. The Canadian Sleep Society has compiled a database of sleep clinics across the country.

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