total amount of sleep
Last reviewed 01/2018
The total amount of sleep required in each 24 hour period gradually reduces from birth throughout life. The amount of sleep required falls in a gentle exponential curve. On average the newborn will spend 16.5 hours per day asleep. The average amount of sleep will gradually decrease to about 11.5 hours for a four year old, and about 8.5 hours for a sixteen year old.