Disclaimer: The information in this article is general in nature and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any exercise programme or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Most Australian adults aged 18 to 64 are advised to get 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night. For adults 65 and over, the national guide is 7 to 8 hours. Children and teenagers need more. These are starting ranges, not a way to calculate one perfect number for every person.
How much sleep is recommended at each age?
Australia's sleep guidelines give these ranges across a full day. The infant and toddler totals include naps.
- Birth to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours.
- 4 to 11 months: 12 to 16 hours.
- 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours.
- 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours.
- 5 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours at night.
- 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours at night.
- 18 to 64 years: 7 to 9 hours at night.
- 65 years and over: 7 to 8 hours at night.
The age groups overlap at five years because Australia's early-years and school-age guidance use different bands. For a five-year-old, discuss concerns about sleep with a health professional rather than treating either range as a strict test.
Is seven hours enough for every adult?
No. Seven hours is the lower end of the adult range, not a goal everyone must meet exactly. Some people feel rested closer to nine hours. Sleep quality and regular timing matter alongside duration. Shift work, parenting and health conditions can also affect the pattern.
The 2026 Australian review rates the adult sleep-duration evidence as low certainty. Studies link sleep duration with health outcomes, but they cannot give each person an exact threshold. Sleeping one hour below a range on one night does not diagnose a health problem.
How can you tell if you are getting enough?
Look at more than the clock. Do you wake feeling reasonably refreshed? Can you stay alert, focus on ordinary tasks and get through the day without persistent sleepiness? These are useful signs, though they cannot diagnose a sleep disorder. Poor sleep can affect mood, concentration and reaction time.
If you are unsure of your pattern, try a sleep diary. Record when you go to bed, roughly when you fall asleep, wake-ups, your wake time, naps, caffeine and how you feel during the day. Time spent in bed is not always time asleep. A diary can also help explain a recurring problem to your GP.
What helps you make room for sleep?
Start with the time you need to wake up, then allow enough time in bed to reach the age-appropriate range. Keep your bed and wake times reasonably consistent where work and caring duties allow. A short wind-down routine, a dark and quiet room, and less caffeine late in the day are useful sleep habits. Our sleep tips offer more ideas for an evening routine.
Regular daytime activity can be part of that routine. If a scheduled walk would help you keep it, walking groups let you check nearby sessions by suburb and day. Keep enough time for sleep rather than moving bedtime later to fit in exercise.
When should you ask for help?
Talk to a GP if you regularly wake unrefreshed, have trouble falling or staying asleep, or feel sleepy enough to affect daily life. Loud snoring with breathing pauses may also need assessment. A sleep diary gives the doctor a clearer picture.
If you feel too sleepy to drive safely, do not drive. The hour range cannot replace an assessment of how alert you are.
