Sleep calculator by age

Find the recommendation for your age

Sleep needs change across life. Choose an age range above for the corresponding daily sleep guidance, then use the table below to see how the ranges differ. The figures follow the CDC’s About Sleep page; they are population guidance, not an individualized prescription.

The most important distinction is between daily sleep and a continuous night. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers may get some of their sleep during naps. A 12-hour daily total should not automatically become a single 12-hour overnight target in an adult calculator.

Daily sleep guidance at a glance

Source: CDC. The infant row reaches 12 months, where the transition to the 1–2-year toddler group begins. These are source-defined guidance bands, not an exact change in need on a birthday. The selector uses labeled groups so this boundary remains visible.

Babies and young children: include naps

The newborn figure is a broad daily range. NHLBI notes that sleep patterns vary widely before four months. This website does not offer infant sleep training, feeding schedules, safe-sleep instructions or a prediction of how long a baby will sleep without waking. Discuss individual questions with a pediatric healthcare professional.

For infants, toddlers and preschoolers, daytime sleep is part of the daily recommendation. As a simple accounting example, a 12-hour total that includes a two-hour nap leaves ten hours for other sleep periods. That subtraction does not establish whether the nap or nighttime schedule suits a particular child.

We deliberately avoid an automatic “six adult cycles” recommendation for a child. The age lookup provides the relevant range and its conditions rather than applying an adult model to every age.

School-age children and teenagers

CDC lists nine to 12 hours for ages six through 12 and eight to ten hours for ages 13 through 17. Those ranges differ from the adult presets in the main calculator. A school start time can help define the morning constraint, but it cannot determine a child’s individual sleep requirement.

You may see an age boundary difference in reputable sources. NHLBI and the AASM bedtime resource include age 18 in the teen recommendation, while the CDC table on this page uses ages 13–17 and starts its adult band at 18. Sleep Calculator labels its source rather than combining incompatible boundaries into a supposedly universal table.

A parent or teenager can use the range as a starting point for a conversation about the daily routine. The tool cannot judge a schedule’s suitability, diagnose daytime tiredness or replace advice from someone who knows the child’s circumstances.

Adults and older adults

For adults aged 18–60, “seven or more hours” is a minimum recommendation. It does not set seven hours as an ideal target for everyone and does not define a maximum. NHLBI’s general adult range of seven to nine hours helps explain why the main calculator offers several duration choices.

CDC lists seven to nine hours for ages 61–64 and seven to eight for ages 65 and older. An older adult’s calculation should not silently use a six-hour cycle estimate just because it is a whole number. The same distinction between time in bed and time asleep still applies.

For a practical adult plan, choose a duration informed by the guidance and your circumstances, then open the bedtime calculator. If sleep problems persist, the next step is a healthcare conversation, not repeatedly adjusting a cycle-length slider.

Frequently asked questions

Is the age result a personalized sleep prescription?

No. It is a lookup of general age-based recommendations. The tool does not collect your medical history, evaluate symptoms or determine an individual treatment plan.

Do the children’s recommendations include naps?

The CDC explicitly includes naps in its infant, toddler and preschool ranges. Think in terms of a 24-hour total, not one long overnight block. Newborn sleep is also spread across multiple periods.

Why do some sources call an 18-year-old a teen?

Sources use different age groupings. AASM and NHLBI pediatric recommendations include age 18; the CDC table used here begins the adult category at 18. The source and boundary are shown rather than hidden.

Does needing less sleep with age mean six hours is enough?

That is not what this table says. CDC’s older-adult ranges remain seven to nine hours at 61–64 and seven to eight hours at 65 and above. A cycle calculation is not a reason to discard age guidance.