Is 6 Hours of Sleep Enough?

Getting enough sleep is essential to optimal health, but many adults don't get enough. Research shows that shorter sleep duration is associated with reduced feelings of wellness and vitality.² So, if you're sleeping less, it's time to take control of your rest and recovery hours.

Breaking Down Optimal Sleep Needs: Why 6 Hours May Not Be Enough

If you struggle to fall asleep, wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep, or wake up in the morning still feeling groggy, you're not alone. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared insufficient sleep a "public health problem." According to a 2020 study published in BMJ, 4–20% of the population report that they experience excessive daytime sleepiness at least three days a week. This, of course, can have significant implications for quality of life, workplace performance, and even personal safety.³ Rest is a fundamental, foundational health need.

Why do we need so much sleep?

Adequate sleep supports cognition and working memory,⁴ as well as immune function³ and overall physical health in healthy adults. It also plays an important role in mood regulation. Over time, sufficient sleep is essential to health and safety—and may contribute to longevity.

What happens during different sleep cycles

During sleep, the body undergoes active restoration through NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep cycles.

1. NREM sleep conserves energy and supports tissue repair, making it the restorative phase primarily focused on physical recovery. It is characterized by slowed brain activity, relaxed muscles, and physiological processes that help the body recover.
2. REM sleep, meanwhile, supports memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and neural development, providing much of the night's mental and emotional restoration. Most prominent during the second half of the night, REM sleep is characterized by highly active brain activity, rapid eye movements, and vivid dreams.

Research shows that your body needs about 7–8 hours to do all this sufficiently.

Sleep requirements by age

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “There is no precise number of minutes or hours of sleep at night that guarantees you will wake up feeling totally refreshed.² But based on your age and lifestyle, what’s recommended for you likely falls within a certain range.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend 7 or more hours of sleep per night for adults aged 18-60 years.³ In short, 6 hours of sleep is not quite enough.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends:⁵

• 14–17 hours for newborns
• 12–15 hours for infants
• 11–14 hours for toddlers
• 10–13 hours for preschoolers
• 9–11 hours for school-aged children
• 8–10 hours for teenagers
• 7–9 hours for young adults and adults
• 7–8 hours for older adults

Sleep Quality vs. Quantity: What Matters More?

According to a Casper-Gallup 2022 poll, 74% of consumers believe sleep is critical to overall health, but are dissatisfied with their sleep quality. Can you function on 6 hours of sleep? Yes, and everyone has at some point. But it's not just how long you sleep, but also how well you sleep.

Sleep quantity refers to the amount of time someone spends asleep.

Sleep quality refers to how well you sleep, including factors like the time it takes to fall asleep, an uninterrupted sleep duration, and how refreshed you feel upon waking.

The Impact of Not Getting Enough Sleep

Eight hours of sleep versus 6 hours makes a big difference in your immediate and long-term health. When poor sleep becomes a consistent habit, you may experience:

• Weakened immune system: Making the body more susceptible to illness.
• Impaired cognitive function: Reduced focus, memory, and decision-making abilities.
• Hormonal imbalance: Which could impact weight regulation, stress, and mood.⁴

Why Are We Not Getting Enough Sleep?

Poor sleep quality is also impacted by a number of other factors, like screen use pre-bedtime, lack of sleep hygiene, caffeine consumption, and even genetics. Stress and anxiety also play a role. According to a 2022 Casper-Gallup Poll, 52–64% of adults aged 18–49 report poor sleep after a stressful day, and 49% say sleep significantly impacts their mood.⁵

Tips for Improving Sleep Quality

To improve your sleep quality, you'll want to work on your sleep hygiene—strengthening your circadian rhythm and reducing the factors that interrupt quality sleep.

• Keep your go-to-bed hours and your wake time consistent. It helps your body know when it's time to sleep.
• Be exposed to light soon after waking. Spending about 15–30 minutes in bright outdoor sunlight in the morning is said to help anchor your circadian clock,⁷ which can make you naturally sleepier at night.
• Embrace a “wind down routine”. Dim things down at night to get your body into sleep mode. About 1–2 hours before bed, lower household lighting, and remember that very bright screens held close to your face can delay melatonin signaling. Do calming things like reading, showering, stretching, skin care, calm music, etc. Anything that signifies to your mind and body that you're finishing up with another great day.
• Watch your caffeine timing. Caffeine's half-life is commonly around 4–6 hours but varies considerably between people. Try avoiding caffeine after 12 pm for 1–2 weeks and see whether your sleep depth or nighttime awakenings improve.
• Be aware of culprits like poor nutrition or digestion, and alcohol consumption. Alcohol tends to produce more fragmented sleep and can suppress REM sleep. And pay attention to your diet, as certain foods may disrupt your sleep as they disrupt your digestion; meanwhile, other foods may assist with better-quality sleep.²
• Make your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Adjust the thermostat to the temperature that suits you, and try things like blackout curtains, an eye mask, or earplugs to keep out noise and light during your slumber.
• Don't fight wakefulness in bed. If you're clearly awake and getting frustrated, get up and do something quiet in dim light. Return to bed when you're genuinely sleepy, and enjoy falling back to sleep.
• Exercise during the day. Use up more energy to increase your tiredness by the end of the day. One study suggests combined aerobic and resistance training demonstrates the largest effect in contributing to sleep.⁸
• Try AGZ. It's our Nightly Sleep Support in calming flavors like Chocolate and Chocolate Mint, designed to support restful, restorative sleep.* It includes key ingredients like adaptogens, herbs, and minerals in a melatonin-free formula designed to support relaxation and help you unwind.*

To enjoy sleep as a component of overall good health, combine it with other pillars of well-being: prioritize nutrition, control consumption of stimulants, get physical activity,⁹ and take care of your mental health. For added support, take AGZ as a relaxing, calming drink before bed to cue your body and mind to start winding down. Sleep well!

So, just like any other health habit, you should make sleep a priority, never an afterthought. Consistency, routine, and understimulation are key to getting good rest. Follow a regular sleep schedule as much as possible and establish a routine that makes sense for you and stick to it. Avoid screens in the bedroom and keep the lights low around bedtime. Foundational rest is a building block of a healthy life; it's time to prioritize it.

References:

1. University of Michigan Medical School. Center for Sleep Science. University of Michigan Medical School website. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://medresearch.umich.edu/labs-departments/centers/center-sleep-science
2. National Sleep Foundation. How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Really Need? National Sleep Foundation website. Published 2020. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/
3. Irwin MR. Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective. BMJ. 2020;368:m1047. doi:10.1136/bmj.m1047. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m1047.long
4. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency – What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency? NHLBI, NIH website. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation
5. Mintel. Global Sleep Industry Trends: The Shift to Sleep Health. Mintel; 2024. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.mintel.com/insights/consumer-research/global-sleep-industry-trends
6. Casper Sleep Inc, Gallup Inc. The State of Sleep in America—2022 Report. March 2022. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/casper-and-gallup-publish-the-state-of-sleep-in-america-2022-report-revealing-key-barriers-to-and-behaviors-around-sleep-quality-301502925.html
7. National Sleep Foundation. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2014.09.014. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(15)00015-7/fulltext
8. Dashti HS, Scheer FAJL, Jacques PF, Lamon-Fava S, Ordovás JM. Short sleep duration and dietary intake: epidemiologic evidence, mechanisms, and health implications. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(5):827-835. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz054. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666319315983
9. University of Michigan School of Public Health. What’s the best diet for healthy sleep? A nutritional epidemiologist explains. Michigan Public Health Pursuit Blog. Published April 2024. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2024posts/best-diet-for-healthy-sleep.html