How many hours of sleep do I actually need?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Most adults need seven to nine hours; over 65, seven to eight. The claimed few who thrive on five hours mostly demonstrate adaptation to feeling bad, not immunity, when tested formally.
The honest self-test: do you wake mostly refreshed without an alarm on free days, and stay alert through afternoon meetings without caffeine rescue? If yes, your current amount fits.
Chronically undersleeping shows up as sugar cravings, low mood, poor immunity and blood pressure creep long before it feels like sleepiness.
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