HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE REALLY NEED?

The target of 8hrs sleep is used as a shorthand but in fact the amount of shut-eye we each need varies a huge amount.

Lifestage plays its part – we need more sleep when we are younger (toddlers need 12-14hrs a day, teenagers around 9hrs and over 70s can often get by happily on 6hrs). On top of this we each have a different Sleep Profile – an inner clock that drives the amount of sleep we need to stay healthy and well.

Here’s how to work out what your individual sleep needs look like, with help from the clever people at verywell.com