How Much Sleep Do I Really Need?

Most people spend roughly one third of their whole lives sleeping. Despite its obvious importance to health, sleep remains mysterious in many ways. The debate of how much sleep we really need to be healthy has been going on for a long time, with different people claiming to need different amounts of sleep to feel rested and well. In the last few years, however, research conducted by experts in the field unequivocally supports the notion that the average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.

Psychotherapist Heather Darwall-Smith has stated that “[q]uality sleep is important for emotional regulation, memory consolidation, to strengthen your immune system to fight infection and more”. Many people know from experience how loss of sleep impacts our ability to go through the day. As well as duration, Dr Deborah Lee stresses the importance of sleep quality; “Having difficulty getting to sleep, having disrupted sleep, waking at night and not being able to get back to sleep, and sleep disorders are very common – and all contribute to poor quality sleep, meaning you wake in the morning feeling tired and unrefreshed.”

Sleep is vital for health and wellbeing. Without it, research suggest that we increase our risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, loss of libido and poorer immune function. While there is no exact amount that everyone needs, it’s important to make sure that you are getting between 7 and 9 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep every night.

With a network of clinics nationwide, Sove CPAP Clinic is a leading, independent and comprehensive provider of Respiratory & Sleep Disorder services, providing eligible patients with access to bulk billed sleep studies, Respiratory/Sleep specialist consultations and sleep apnoea treatment services.* Speak with your doctor or contact Sove CPAP Clinic on 1300 76 29 39. * Medicare criteria apply