Sleep Myth Monday: Magic Number for Sleep

This is the latest installment of a regular feature here at SleepBetter.org: Sleep Myth Monday, where we bust sleep myths wide open, or verify that they’re actually not myths at all.

Myth or Truth:  There really is no “magic number” when it comes to how much sleep you need.

TRUTH

There are so many differences between individuals that one size sleep cannot fit all. One person may get by just fine on six hours while another can’t function without nine. The best policy is to know yourself and know what your body needs. If you’re still tired in the morning when you get up, or you want to fall asleep in the afternoon, then you need more sleep.

As an extremely general rule, most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night to remain healthy.