1
00:00:00,330 --> 00:00:04,710
Sleep tight, we need adequate sleep to function at our best.

2
00:00:05,190 --> 00:00:11,940
Unfortunately, millions of adults in the United States are sleep deprived, either because they don't

3
00:00:11,940 --> 00:00:17,450
give themselves enough time in bed or because they have insomnia.

4
00:00:17,850 --> 00:00:19,260
How much sleep do you need?

5
00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,060
Most of us have heard that we need eight hours of sleep tonight.

6
00:00:24,390 --> 00:00:27,370
In reality, it's not quite that simple.

7
00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:34,290
The latest guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation recommend seven to nine hours of sleep a night

8
00:00:34,290 --> 00:00:38,700
for most adults, seven to eight for all older adults.

9
00:00:39,180 --> 00:00:44,540
A minority of individuals actually need only six hours.

10
00:00:45,150 --> 00:00:48,670
How do you figure out where you fall in that range?

11
00:00:49,110 --> 00:00:55,440
Consider tracking your sleep for two weeks, noting the time you went to bed and that time would go

12
00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:56,280
out of bed.

13
00:00:56,730 --> 00:01:03,420
Subtract the approximate amount of time you were awake at the beginning, middle and end of the night.

14
00:01:03,810 --> 00:01:09,180
Based on the numbers for each night, you can calculate the average amount of sleep you're getting.

15
00:01:10,260 --> 00:01:19,590
For example, let's say you go to bed at ten thirty pm and get up at six thirty a.m. So you're in bed

16
00:01:19,590 --> 00:01:20,540
for eight hours.

17
00:01:20,850 --> 00:01:27,150
It takes you 10 minutes to fall asleep and you're generally awake in the night for 20 minutes or so,

18
00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:37,320
then sleep through until your alarm at six thirty pm your total sleep time for this night would be eight

19
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:39,500
hours minus 30 minutes.

20
00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:42,420
So seven and a half hours of sleep.

21
00:01:44,070 --> 00:01:50,010
If you often feel sleepy during the day and you don't suffer from a medical condition that will account

22
00:01:50,010 --> 00:01:50,430
for it.

23
00:01:50,970 --> 00:01:54,990
Sleep apnea, you probably need more sleep than you're getting.

24
00:01:55,410 --> 00:02:02,940
If you wake up consistently feeling relatively refreshed and aren't overly sleepy during the day and

25
00:02:02,940 --> 00:02:08,850
aren't relying on caffeine or other stimulants to stay awake, you're probably getting enough sleep.