What is healthy sleep?

A good night’s rest is about more than just being in bed for seven hours or so, though. The quality of sleep you get is also important.

Your brain needs to go through a series of sleep cycles. These cycles help you get the best kind of rest.

You may have heard of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. During the night, you rotate through 90- to 110-minute cycles of these two stages. And changes happen in the brain that help lock in memories and improve learning and focus.

Sleep is also when your body goes into fix-it mode. Toxins get flushed out, and muscles, bones and other tissues are repaired. Your body also strengthens its ability to fight germs.

The phases of sleep help you feel rested and energized in the morning. On an ideal night, you cycle through each stage of sleep four to six times to get a healthy amount of sleep.3

Sleep can naturally become more fragmented with age. As a result, older adults may have trouble getting the deep, restful sleep they need. That can make quality rest more challenging, even though the need for it doesn’t change.

Consistency is also key, no matter how old you are, says Carol Rosen, MD. She’s a sleep medicine specialist in Cleveland. “Sleep has to be the right duration and stay on a regular schedule,” she says.

A little variation from night to night is OK. “But you really want to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day,” adds Dr. Rosen. For example, you can’t stay out super late and expect to make up that sleep debt the next night.

Dr. Zaetta agrees: “Looking at my patients over the years, someone who has a regular bedtime and wake time does better than someone who doesn’t.”

How much sleep do I need?

Sleep needs can vary from person to person. But most adults should get seven hours or more per night. And eight or nine hours of rest may be even better, says Dr. Zaetta. Kids need more sleep. Take a look:4

• Newborns: 14 – 17 hours (half during naps)
• Infants: 12 – 16 hours (4 – 5 hours during naps)
• Toddlers: 1 – 14 hours (2 – 3 hours during naps)
• Preschoolers: 10 – 13 hours
• Children 6 to 12: 9 – 12 hours
• Teenagers: 8 – 10 hours
• Adults: 7– 9 hours