top of page
Search

Sleep Hygiene Tip 2: Amount of Sleep

Updated: Jan 18

How much sleep are you getting? Welcome to another Wisdom Wednesday, where we share evidenced tips, insights, and more. This week is all about amount of sleep. Getting enough sleep isn’t just about feeling energized — it’s about mental health. Did you know that even small amounts of sleep loss can raise your risk of experiencing symptoms of depression? Aim for 8–10 hours if you’re under 18, or 7–9 if you’re an adult. Your mind and body will thank you.


How Much Sleep Do You Need?

If you are under 18 years of age, you should aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night. If you are 18 or older, you should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.


Why It Matters

Lack of sleep has been linked to various depressive symptoms such as feeling down or hopeless, thoughts of suicide, and using alcohol or drugs. To be specific, it has been linked to a 14% increase in the risk of experiencing unpleasant emotions, a 38% increase in the risk of experiencing feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a 42% increase in the risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts, a 58% increase in the risk of experiencing suicidal behavior, and a 23% increase in the risk of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use.


Want more sleep hygiene tips? Follow along on LinkedIn or explore the rest of the series within our blog.


References

  • Clarke, G., & Harvey, A. G. (2012). The complex role of sleep in adolescent depression. Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics Of North America, 21(2), 385-400. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2012.01.006

  • Dewald-Kaufmann, J. F., Oort, F. J., & Meijer, A. M. (2014). The effects of sleep extension and sleep hygiene advice on sleep and depressive symptoms in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 55(3), 273-283. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12157

  • Glozier, N., Martiniuk, A., Patton, G., Ivers, R., Li, Q., Hickie, I., . . . Stevenson, M. (2010). Short sleep duration in prevalent and persistent psychological distress in young adults: The DRIVE study. Sleep, 33(9), 1139-1145.

  • Hillman, D.R. & Lack, L.C. (2013). Public health implications of sleep loss: The community burden. MJA, 199(8). Supplement: Sleep Disorders: A practical guide for Australian health care practitioners.

  • Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., . . . Adams Hillard, P. J. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: Methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 1, 40-43. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010

  • Irish, L. A., Kline, C. E., Gunn, H. E., Buysse, D. J., & Hall, M. H. (2015). The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 22, 23-36. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2014.10.001

  • Winsler, A., Deutsch, A., Vorona, R. D., Payne, P. A., & Szklo-Coxe, M. (2015). Sleepless in Fairfax: The difference one more hour of sleep can make for teen hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and substance use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2), 362. doi: 10.1007/s10964-014-0170-3


Originally shared on LinkedIn



Comments

bottom of page