The amount of deep sleep you need changes significantly by age:
- Babies (0-1 year) require the most sleep, around 12 to 17 hours in total each day, with a significant portion being deep sleep for growth and development.
- Toddlers and young children (1-5 years) need 10 to 14 hours of sleep, including naps, with deep sleep being important for brain development.
- School-age children (6-12 years) need about 9 to 12 hours of sleep at night, spending a larger proportion in deep sleep than adults for cognitive and physical growth.
- Teenagers (13-18 years) require 8 to 10 hours, with deep sleep amount somewhat reduced but still critical for development and emotional regulation.
- Adults (18-64 years) typically need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, with about 20-25% being deep sleep (roughly 1 to 2 hours).
- Older adults (65+ years) generally need 7 to 8 hours, but the amount of deep sleep decreases and sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented; some older adults may get very little deep sleep.
Deep sleep percentage and amount tends to decline with age after childhood, reflecting different developmental and physiological needs at each life stage.
Summary table of deep sleep by age group:
Age Group| Total Sleep Needed| Approximate Deep Sleep Portion
---|---|---
Infants (0-1 year)| 12-17 hours| High portion, vital for development
Toddlers (1-5 years)| 10-14 hours| Large portion of sleep spent in deep sleep
Children (6-12 years)| 9-12 hours| More deep sleep than adults, important for
growth
Teenagers (13-18)| 8-10 hours| Deep sleep amount reduced but still significant
Adults (18-64)| 7-9 hours| 20-25% deep sleep (1-2 hours)
Older adults (65+)| 7-8 hours| Less deep sleep, sleep is lighter and more
fragmented
This reflects how deep sleep needs change through the lifespan, with more needed during growth phases and less in older age.
