Like food and water all living organisms require sleep in order to function and subsequently survive. It is a vital component in every person’s life and neglecting the required amount of hours needed to function properly can most definitely have a negative effect on your health and well-being. We are certainly not arguing with Science in this regard, we mean, who doesn’t love a nap?
The exact amount of sleep a person needs is based on a variety of different factors including age and quality of sleep. The truth is that getting as little as 4 hours of sleep a night is almost the equivalent of staying up all night. Statistics suggest that driving after pulling an all-nighter is equal to driving while under the influence of alcohol and that sleep deprivation is responsible for almost 100,000 traffic accidents, 76,000 injuries, and 1,500 deaths every year.
As we mentioned before, the amount of sleep required in order for a person to stay healthy and function at their best is dependent on different factors. Children over the age of 6 generally need at least 9 hours of sleep a night, while teenagers can function off between 8 and 10. With the onset of puberty some teens may need to rest a bit more or even an afternoon nap. Adults should be fitting in between seven and nine hours a night. As you get older sleep patterns change and you might find that naps as opposed to long nights serve your need for rest better. Sleep patterns change as one gets older.