A person spends about one – third of their life sleeping. This shows just how important sleep is. It not only ensures our physical health but also helps us quickly regain energy to face life and work. However, only a reasonable amount of sleep can achieve these benefits. Too much or too little sleep won’t lead to the desired results. So, how long should a person sleep in a day?
What Are the Effects of Sleeping Too Long?
Generally, it’s advisable to maintain a sleep duration of around 7 hours a day. If you sleep for more than 9 hours for an extended period, it can affect the normal functioning of the central nervous system, putting it in an inhibited state. That’s why you may feel dizzy and disoriented after oversleeping. Moreover, excessive long – term sleep can also impact muscle health, causing muscles to become flaccid. This can impede the transportation of substances in muscles and blood, making you feel weak and lethargic.
How Much Sleep Is Considered Healthy? Here’s What Doctors Say
- Infants and Toddlers
As we all know, babies sleep for nearly 12 hours out of 24. This is a normal physiological phenomenon. Since infants and toddlers are in the stage of growth and development, sufficient sleep can effectively promote their growth. Therefore, for younger infants, adults should try to create a quiet and comfortable sleep environment and avoid disturbing their sleep. - Teenagers
Most teenagers are between 14 and 25 years old. At this stage, they are still studying, and the optimal sleep duration is about 7 to 9 hours a day. Especially for teenagers in their teens, their bodies are also growing. Adequate sleep can promote the absorption of nutrients, which in turn helps with bone growth and the normal operation of the endocrine system. That’s why teenagers with good sleep habits usually have better skin metabolism and are less likely to have various skin problems such as acne or dullness. - Middle – aged People
Middle – aged people are busy with work and life, facing increasing pressure. However, they should still develop good sleep habits. Generally, they need to maintain about 6 to 7 hours of sleep a day to relax their bodies and recharge their energy. Never stay up late or shorten your sleep time for a long time, as this can seriously affect kidney health. Relevant data shows that most kidney – related diseases in middle – aged people are caused by lack of sleep. - Elderly People
It’s well – known that the sleep time of elderly people is significantly reduced, especially for those with insomnia or poor sleep quality. This is because as the body’s functions age and degenerate, the secretion of melatonin in the body decreases significantly, reducing the desire to sleep. However, elderly people should still aim to get about 6 hours of sleep a day. In addition, elderly people should not stay in bed for too long, as this can lead to muscle atrophy and affect their ability to walk. They should go outdoors more during the day, which can not only help them exercise but also soothe their minds.
In conclusion, health experts suggest that teenagers should try to get more than 8 hours of sleep a day to better promote the growth and development of their bodies. For elderly people, about 6 hours of sleep a day is sufficient. Adopting these correct, healthy, and regular sleep durations and patterns is crucial. We should stick to them and not mistakenly think that the more we sleep, the healthier we will be. Everything should be done in moderation.