How Much Sleep Should I Get Each Night?

Sleep is one of those things everyone talks about, yet many of us still feel like we’re getting it wrong. Some people seem to function perfectly on five hours, while others struggle if they get anything less than eight. We’re often told there’s an ideal amount of sleep we should all be aiming for, but real life rarely fits neatly into those guidelines. The question of how much sleep you should get each night is more personal than it’s usually made out to be.

The General Guidelines and Why They’re Only a Starting Point

Most health organisations suggest that adults aim for somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Teenagers and children generally need more, while older adults may find they naturally sleep a little less. These guidelines are useful, but they’re not rules set in stone.

They’re based on averages, not individuals. Just like height or appetite, sleep needs vary from person to person. Some people genuinely feel refreshed after seven hours, while others need closer to nine to feel human. The key is not the number itself, but how you feel during the day.

What “Enough Sleep” Actually Feels Like

Instead of focusing purely on hours, it can be more helpful to think about the quality of your sleep and how it affects your daily life. When you’re getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to wake up feeling relatively rested, even if you don’t love mornings. You can concentrate more easily, your mood is more stable, and you’re less reliant on caffeine just to get through the day.

When you’re not getting enough sleep, the signs often show up quickly. Brain fog, irritability, low energy, poor concentration, and a shorter fuse are common. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can affect both physical and mental health, increasing the risk of things like anxiety, depression, heart problems, and a weakened immune system.

Why Some People Need More Sleep Than Others

There’s a strong genetic component to sleep needs. Some people are naturally short sleepers, while others require more rest to function properly. Lifestyle also plays a big role. Stress levels, physical activity, work schedules, and mental load all influence how much sleep your body needs.

If you’re dealing with illness, chronic pain, mental health challenges, or high levels of stress, your body may need more sleep as a form of recovery. Sleep isn’t just downtime; it’s when your body repairs itself. During periods of change or difficulty, needing extra rest is normal, not a failure.

Sleep Quality Matters as Much as Quantity

It’s possible to spend eight hours in bed and still feel exhausted. That’s because not all sleep is equal. Interrupted sleep, difficulty falling asleep, or waking frequently during the night can all reduce sleep quality.

Factors like light, noise, room temperature, and screen use can all affect how deeply you sleep. Even stress and racing thoughts can stop your body from fully relaxing, no matter how long you’re in bed. That’s why two people sleeping the same number of hours can feel completely different the next day.

The Role of Routine

One of the most overlooked aspects of sleep is consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day helps regulate your body clock. When your sleep schedule is unpredictable, your body struggles to know when it’s time to rest.

This doesn’t mean you can never have a late night or a lie-in. Life happens. But aiming for a loose routine most of the time can make a noticeable difference in how rested you feel, even if the total number of hours doesn’t change dramatically.

Naps: Helpful or Harmful?

Naps can be a useful tool, especially if nighttime sleep is disrupted. A short nap of 20 to 30 minutes can improve alertness and mood without interfering too much with nighttime sleep.

Long naps or late afternoon naps, however, can make it harder to fall asleep at night. Like everything else with sleep, naps are highly individual. Some people thrive with them, while others find they do more harm than good.

Sleep and Mental Health

Sleep and mental health are closely linked. Poor sleep can worsen anxiety and low mood, while mental health struggles can make sleep more difficult. It’s a frustrating cycle that many people recognise.

If you find yourself lying awake with racing thoughts or waking up feeling anxious, it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s often your nervous system struggling to switch off. In these cases, improving sleep may require addressing stress, boundaries, and mental wellbeing, not just changing bedtime habits.

When You’re Doing Everything “Right” and Still Tired

One of the most frustrating experiences is doing all the “right” things — going to bed early, limiting screens, creating a calm environment — and still waking up exhausted. If this is ongoing, it may be worth exploring underlying issues such as sleep disorders, hormonal changes, or health conditions.

Feeling tired all the time isn’t something you should just accept as normal. While occasional fatigue is part of life, persistent exhaustion deserves attention and compassion.

Letting Go of Sleep Perfection

There’s a lot of pressure around sleep, especially with apps and trackers telling us how well or badly we’ve slept. While this information can be useful, it can also create anxiety and make sleep feel like another task to succeed or fail at.

It’s okay to have imperfect nights. One poor night of sleep doesn’t undo your health, just as one good night doesn’t fix everything. Sleep works best when it’s approached with flexibility rather than control.

So, How Much Sleep Should You Get?

The most honest answer is: as much as you need to feel reasonably rested and able to function. For most adults, that falls somewhere between seven and nine hours, but your personal needs may sit outside that range.

Pay attention to how you feel, not just the clock. Sleep should support your life, not become another source of stress. When you listen to your body and allow rest to be a priority rather than an afterthought, you’re far more likely to find a rhythm that works for you.

In the end, good sleep isn’t about hitting a perfect number. It’s about giving your body and mind the chance to recover, reset, and face the next day with a little more ease.