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For years, most of us have been preaching about the magic figure of eight hours of sleep—it is the number everyone should be getting for optimal health. However, with new studies on sleep science emerging, all these years of preaching have raised a nagging question: is the eight-hour rule generic, or is it time to rethink our ways?

Experts agree that there may be variation in the type of sleep needed based on some factors, such as individual differences in age, lifestyle, and genetics. However, eight hours seems often touted as the norm for a healthy sleeper. While some function well on seven, nine may be needed for optimal restoration.

Some recent studies are even suggesting that the ideal sleep duration might shift throughout a person’s lifetime. For example, children and teenagers often need more sleep than adults to support their growing bodies and active minds, while older adults sometimes find that they naturally sleep less than they did in their younger years. These findings support a more flexible approach to sleep, allowing people to adapt their routines as they age and as their lifestyle demands change.

This does open the question: is quantity better than quality? To understand this, we speak with Dr Arun Chowdary Kotaru, Consultant in Respiratory, Pulmonology, and Sleep Medicine at Artemis Hospitals.

“The quality of sleep essentially decides how refreshed and awake we feel the next morning. Deep sleep, for instance, or rapid eye movement (REM) is similar to the length of the sleep. A person will probably feel better if that person gets seven hours without disturbance and restful slumber than someone who just tosses and turns their way throughout,” says Dr Kotaru.

On top of this, the impact of external factors like caffeine, alcohol, and even late-night snacking can influence the quality of our sleep, sometimes more than the actual hours we clock in bed. These factors can disrupt the sleep cycle, reducing the time we spend in deep or REM sleep, which are the restorative stages. So, a solid night’s rest is about being mindful of our habits, reducing disruptions, and aiming for consistency rather than a strict, one-size-fits-all sleep duration.

According to Dr Kotaru, a related reason is the drastic shift in sleep timing in the modern world. “Increased screen time, stress, and unpredictable schedules make it difficult to sustain just an eight-hour block for everyone. Listening to internal sleep signals, or "circadian rhythms," often proves more successful,” he says.

The bottom line is that the fact of the matter is not racing against the clock but knowing what refreshes you. “Instead of mindlessly observing the eight-hour rule, improve your sleep quality and manage stress. In other words, get a routine to suit your lifestyle for getting good sleep,” says Dr Kotaru.

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