How much sleep do you — or your kids — actually need? Below is the CDC’s chart of recommended sleep for every age, plus a simple counter that works out a bedtime from the time you need to wake up.
These are the hours of sleep the CDC recommends in each 24-hour day. For babies and young children, the total includes naps.
| Age | Sleep needed | |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn0–3 months | 14–17 hours | |
| Infant4–12 months | 12–16 hoursincluding naps | |
| Toddler1–2 years | 11–14 hoursincluding naps | |
| Preschool3–5 years | 10–13 hoursincluding naps | |
| School age6–12 years | 9–12 hours | |
| Teen13–17 years | 8–10 hours | |
| Adult18–60 years | 7 or more hours | |
| Adult61–64 years | 7–9 hours | |
| Adult65 years and older | 7–8 hours |
Source: CDC, “About Sleep,” based on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations. The bars show each range against an 18-hour scale — babies sleep most of the day; adults still need a solid block of the night.
Pick an age group and a wake-up time. The counter counts back the recommended hours and shows the bedtime range that fits.
Bedtime: 10:00 PM to 12:00 AM
For an adult (18–60) waking at 7:00 AM.
How to read it: at least 7 hours — 7 to 9 is the range most adults aim for. In bed by 12:00 AM gives 7 hours; in bed by 10:00 PM gives 9 hours.
This total includes naps — it is not one long stretch.
This counter runs entirely in this page, on your device. Nothing you pick here is saved or sent anywhere.
Not true. The CDC still recommends 7–8 hours a night at age 65 and older — nearly the same as younger adults. Getting that sleep can get harder as we age, but needing it doesn’t drop away.
The CDC notes that regularly sleeping less than the recommended amount is linked with a higher risk of several chronic health problems. That is one more reason the chart above is worth knowing — it gives you a clear target to aim for.
Some things are a conversation for a doctor, not a web page. If you regularly cannot sleep, snore heavily with pauses in your breathing, or feel dangerously sleepy during the day, please talk to a doctor about it. This page cannot tell you what is going on — a doctor can.
Facts checked November 2026.