Doctors advise adults to sleep seven to nine hours daily to improve health, prevent disease, and enhance mental wellbeing

Medical experts have advised adults to sleep between seven and nine hours daily to maintain optimal physical and mental health.

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The recommendation was made on Friday by Dr Moyosore Makinde, Consultant Family and Lifestyle Medicine Physician and President of the Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria, while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria to mark World Sleep Day 2026.

The 2026 edition, themed “Sleep Well, Live Better,” aims to raise awareness about the critical role of sleep in human health and encourage better sleep habits.

Dr Makinde stressed that sleep supports energy restoration, strengthens immunity, and is essential for long-term wellbeing.

“Adults require seven to nine hours of restorative sleep daily. Infants and children need significantly longer durations to support proper growth and brain development,” Dr Makinde said.

She highlighted that modern lifestyles, poor sleeping environments, social media use, and demanding schedules contribute to widespread sleep deprivation.

Prolonged sleep deprivation, she warned, can increase the risk of accidents, cognitive errors, workplace mistakes, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers.

“Sleeping well to live better is not a myth. It is one of the most powerful yet neglected pillars of health,” Dr Makinde added.

Contributing to the discussion, psychiatrist and therapist Dr Maymunah Kadiri, Medical Director of Pinnacle Medical Services, noted that quality sleep is vital for mental wellbeing.

“Adequate sleep improves concentration, enhances cognitive function, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, and strengthens stress resilience,” she said.

Dr Kadiri emphasised that healthy sleep involves not only sufficient hours but also uninterrupted, refreshing rest with a consistent schedule.