How many hours of sleep you really need per night, according to your age

Most people can probably admit to Googling, 'How many hours of sleep do I need a night,' when they realize they've spent a little too long scrolling on TikTok, with their alarm set for 8 a.m.

Begrudgingly waking up a few hours later for the morning commute, many can't function without a cup of coffee (or two) before heading into the office.

A number of cups are then consumed throughout the day, especially during that infamous 3 p.m. slump.

But relying on caffeine or sugar to get through the afternoon could be a sign of sleep debt, one expert says.

Speaking to UNILAD, Brenda Heather, Nutrition Expert at Meo Nutrition says: "If you're reaching for coffee or sugar to get through the afternoon, that's usually a sleep debt talking, not a caffeine deficiency."

So how many hours of sleep does one need to free themselves from sleep debt?

How many hours of sleep do adults need a night?

Brenda says 'most adults need seven to nine hours a night' (Image: Supplied)

"Most adults need seven to nine hours a night, and the honest answer is that very few people are the exception they think they are," Brenda says.

Breaking it down further, the expert adds: "Older adults often land closer to seven, teenagers need eight to ten, and school-age children can need up to eleven."

However, the Brenda also explains that food and sleep 'feed into each other' something that gets missed 'in most sleep articles.'

She says that getting too little sleep affects the hormones that control hunger, which is likely to make you feel hungrier and eat more the next day, reaching for 'refined carbs rather than vegetables.'

This then ends up in a negative cycle, as the expert adds: "Then poor food choices disrupt sleep further."

Although many of us like to enjoy ourselves at the weekend, alcohol 'helps people fall asleep faster but fragments the second half of the night.'

The large fatty meal you may order when stumbling home at 4 a.m. doesn't help either, as Brenda adds: "Large, fatty meals close to bedtime can trigger reflux."

How to improve sleep hygiene

The expert says a 4pm coffee is 'still in your system at bedtime' (Getty Stock Image)

Getting a good night's sleep may be easier said than done amid the hustle and bustle of modern life.

However, Brenda does share a few tips people can follow to get a better quality shut eye.

• Keep a consistent wake time even at weekends
• Stop caffeine by early afternoon
• Finish eating two to three hours before bed

"Sleep isn't a luxury you earn after everything else is done. It's a biological requirement, same as food and water," she says.

The expert also advises that anyone who sleeps for 'eight hours and still wakes exhausted' should consult a doctor.

"Sleep apnoea, iron deficiency and thyroid problems all present this way and are commonly missed," the expert adds.