On average, how many hours do you sleep each night? For most healthy adults, guidelines suggest at least seven hours of slumber.

But these are general recommendations and not strict rules. “Some people need less than seven hours, while others might need more,” says Eric Zhou with the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Do you need more or less sleep time?

We get it: you know people who swear they only need five hours of sleep per night, yet you feel foggy unless you log in eight to nine hours. The major reason for individual differences is that we often look at sleep the wrong way.

“Instead of focusing exclusively on the number of hours we sleep per night, we should also consider our sleep quality,” says Zhou.

Sleep quality means how well you sleep during the night. Did you sleep straight through? Or did you have periods where you woke up? If so, did it take you a long time to fall asleep? How did you feel when you woke up?

“If you awaken refreshed and feel like you have the energy to get through your day, then I would worry less about the exact number of hours you’re sleeping,” says Zhou.

How does sleep quality affect your health?

Sleep quality is vital for our overall health. Research has shown that people with poor sleep quality are at a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

And that’s not all. “Poor sleep also can increase daytime fatigue and make it more difficult to enjoy life,” says Zhou.

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