Sleeping Enough?

Kelsey Painter, DC candidate 

Let's talk about everyone's favorite thing.... sleep! 

We’ve all heard it. When you’re sick, rest. When you’re hurting, rest. There is no doubt that the body needs rest. Sleep is critical for the proper functioning of the body, including immune function, tissue healing, pain modulation, cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and learning and memory. More specific to musculoskeletal health, a good night’s sleep enables our bodies to repair muscles and joints that are strained or injured during the day. 

So how much sleep should you, or your children, be getting? 

We gathered information from published studies by the members of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The AASM developed these recommendations for the amount of sleep needed to promote optimal health in children and adolescents:

• Infants 4 months to 12 months should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. 

• Children 1 to 2 years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. 

• Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. 

• Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health. 

• Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

In children and adolescents, sleeping the number of recommended hours on a regular basis is associated with better health outcomes including: improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. 

The AASM found that current evidence supports the general recommendation that adults aged 18 to 60 years of age should get 7 or more hours of sleep per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Sleeping less than 7 hours per night is associated with impaired immune function, increased pain, impaired performance, increased errors, and greater risk of accidents.

Make adequate rest a priority! Simple things like setting an alarm on your phone as a reminder to start winding down for the night can help you get into a routine that allows you to get the amount of sleep you need. Consistency is key! 

Please reach out to us if you have any questions or need help integrating this into your life!