The June issue of the journal SLEEP contains a new consensus statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society, which recommends that adults aged 18 to 60 years should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health and reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes. A panel of 15 experts in sleep medicine and research reviewed published scientific evidence, focusing on nine health categories with the best available evidence in relation to sleep duration.

The statement notes that individual variability in sleep need is influenced by genetic, behavioral, medical, and environmental factors. The consensus panel determined that it is uncertain whether sleeping more than 9 hours per night is associated with health risk.

Read the consensus statement – Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society

Read the press release – Seven or more hours of sleep per night: A health necessity for adults