This is how much sleep you actually need

Trying to convince someone you deserve a lie in? This panel of experts may be able to help.

America's National Sleep Foundation has issued new guidelines broadly outlining how much rest people need for a “good night’s sleep" depending on age.

The findings, published in Sleep Health: journal of the National Sleep Foundation, recommend newborns get between 14 and 17 hours of sleep each day (lucky things), while anyone aged 18–64 should be aiming for between seven and nine hours a night. Bad luck, folks.

The new findings have amended the previous guidelines, in what one panel member, Dr Lydia DonCarlos said was a “very rigorous” process.

"We still have a great deal to learn about the function of sleep," Dr DonCarlos said. "We know it's restorative and important for memory consolidation. But we don't know the details of what the function of sleep is, even though it is how we spend one-third of our lives."

The findings also, for the first time, include categories for those aged 18–25 and those aged over 65.

So how much sleep should you be getting? Well, these are the recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation’s expert panel:

• Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours each day

• Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours

• Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours

• Preschoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours

• School age children (6-13): 9-11 hours

• Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours

• Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours

• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours

• Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours

More: Teenagers get watertight excuse for sleeping in: science