Drinking eight glasses of water a day, taking 10,000 steps daily, and snoozing for eight hours each night have been wellness mantras for years now ― except that they don’t really hold up. 

Experts say the amount of water we need depends on our genes and lifestyle; and, in most cases, we should probably just drink when we’re thirsty. 

Meanwhile getting in 10,000 steps a day was a marketing ploy from a step tracker company, and most adults should be fine with 7-9 hours of sleep on average (though women may need more). 

But just like how many times is normal to get up in the middle of the night (or to pee), the number of hours we should aim to sleep for do change slightly by age. 

How many hours should I sleep based on my age?

We’ve mentioned above that a lot of “healthy” habits vary from person to person, so if your current sleep routine is leaving you refreshed and alert, then you should stick to it. 

With that said, the National Sleep Foundation has shared some rough guidelines by age. Of course, newborns, should sleep during the day and night, and infants and toddlers tend to need day naps, too.

Here are the guidelines for how much sleep you should get in a 24-hour period:

Newborns (0–3 months) 

• 14–17 hours of sleep 

Infants (4–11 months)

• 12–15 hours

Toddlers (1–2 years)

• 11–14 hours

Preschoolers (3–5 years)

• 10–13 hours

School-age children (6–13 years)

• 9–11 hours

Teens (14–17 years)

• 8–10 hours

Young adults (18–25 years)

• 7–9 hours

Adults (26–64 years)

• 7–9 hours

Older adults (65+ years)

• 7–8 hours. 

What if I can’t get enough sleep?

You may not be getting the recommended amount of sleep per night, but this is only an issue if you feel tired throughout the day.

If you do, though, changing some lifestyle factors ― like not drinking caffeine too late in the day, avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed, and keeping any meals close to your bedtime light ― may help. 

However, you may be dealing with insomnia or other sleep issues if trying these changes doesn’t work. 

The NHS advises you to see your GP if: 

• you’ve been feeling tired for a few weeks and you’re not sure why
• your tiredness affects your daily life
• you feel tired and have other symptoms, such as weight loss or mood changes, or you’ve been told you’re making gasping, snorting or choking noises when you’re asleep.