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Sleep & Circadian Health

Sleep Across the Life Stages

Our sleep needs change throughout life. Babies spend much of their time asleep, teenagers often develop later sleep schedules, and older adults may experience lighter, more interrupted sleep.

Understanding how sleep changes as we grow and age can help us recognize what is normal, identify sleep problems, and find ways to support healthy sleep at every stage of life.

Overview

  • Sleep needs are highest in infancy and gradually decrease through childhood before becoming more stable in adulthood
  • Sleep patterns change with age, from frequent naps in infancy to longer periods of nighttime sleep
  • Our internal body clock also changes over time, often shifting toward later sleep in adolescence and earlier sleep in older adulthood
  • Each life stage brings different challenges to healthy sleep, but understanding these changes can help us find routines that work

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Sleep changes across life

As we grow and age, our sleep needs and patterns change in several important ways:

  • How much sleep is needed: Newborns often sleep more than half the day. Children and teens still need more sleep than adults. Most adults need at least 7 hours. Older adults usually need a similar amount, even if sleep feels lighter or more broken.
  • How sleep is organized: Infants sleep in short stretches across day and night. Sleep gradually consolidates into a longer night, with naps dropping away in childhood. Adults usually have one main sleep period. Older adults may wake more often or nap during the day.
  • When the body is ready to sleep: Our internal body clock develops during infancy and childhood. During adolescence, it often shifts later, making teenagers naturally more inclined to stay up late. In older adulthood, sleep and wake times often shift earlier.
  • What challenges sleep: Feeding and development shape infant sleep. Routines, school, and bedtime resistance are common in childhood. Teens face later body clocks, early school start times, screens, and social demands. Adults juggle work, caregiving, stress, and health changes. Older adults may be affected by medications, medical conditions, retirement lifestyle changes, and earlier waking/bedtimes.

Learning what is healthy for your life stage can help you make decisions to support your sleep and take ownership of all 24 hours.

What healthy sleep means at every age

Getting enough sleep is important at every age, but healthy sleep is about more than the number of hours we sleep. Sleep can be measured across several different dimensions, includes when we sleep, how regularly we sleep, and how rested we feel during the day. These aspects of sleep health remain important throughout life, even as our sleep needs and patterns change.

 

Typical sleep needs by life stage

The amount of sleep we need is greatest early in life and gradually decreases as we grow. By adulthood, most people need around 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, although individual needs vary.

The chart below shows typical sleep recommendations for different age groups, including daytime naps for infants and young children.

References

Buysse, D. J. (2014). Sleep health: Can we define it? Does it matter? *Sleep, 37*(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.3298

Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D’Ambrosio, C., et al. (2016). Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: Methodology and discussion. *Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12*(11), 1549–1561. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6288

Simon, K. C., Cadle, C., Shuster, A. E., et al. (2025). Sleep across the lifespan: A neurobehavioral perspective. *Current Sleep Medicine Reports, 11*, Article 7.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-025-00322-2

Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., et al. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: A joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. *Sleep, 38*(6), 843–844. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4716

Medical disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about questions or concerns related to your sleep. Read full medical disclaimer

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