How Much Sleep Does a 20 Year Old Need? It’s More Than You Think

The real answer (not the one you tell yourself at 2 AM)

Let’s be honest—if you're 20 and reading this, you’ve probably pulled more all-nighters than you care to admit. I’ve been there. Finals week? Red Bull and regret. Netflix binge that "accidentally" lasted till sunrise? Yeah, guilty.

But here’s the deal: a 20-year-old still needs about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. That’s the sweet spot recommended by the National Sleep Foundation and a bunch of very serious-looking researchers in white coats.

And no, “I’m fine with five” doesn’t count as science. Trust me, I tried that lie too.

Why your body still needs a lot of sleep at 20

Your brain is still wiring itself together

Wait, what? You thought that part ended at 18? Nope. Your brain—especially the prefrontal cortex, aka the "decision-making, impulse-controlling, not-doing-dumb-things" area—is still developing well into your mid-20s.

So when you skip sleep, you’re basically telling your brain, “Hey, let’s make things harder on ourselves for no reason.”

Actually had this convo with my roommate Jacob last week. He’s 21, swears he only needs 6 hours. But the dude forgot his own birthday last month. Coincidence? I think not.

Sleep is when you recover from... everything

Working out? Studying? Dealing with stress, bad dates, life in general? Your body fixes, rebuilds, and organizes during sleep. It’s like the overnight cleaning crew for your brain and muscles.

Miss sleep, and it’s like never taking the trash out—stuff piles up fast. Mood swings, brain fog, muscle soreness... been there.

Okay but what if I literally can’t sleep 8 hours?

Real talk: sometimes life gets in the way

Look, I get it. You’ve got school, work, maybe both. Social life. Gaming. Existential dread. Sometimes 8 hours just feels like a luxury dream, no pun intended.

So what can you do?

• Prioritize consistency. 6 solid hours at the same time every night is better than 8 random hours here and there.

• Power naps help—but don’t overdo it. I used to nap 3 hours a day and then wondered why I couldn’t sleep at night. Shocking, I know.

• Protect your sleep window. Seriously, your phone can wait. Blue light messes with your melatonin, and TikTok isn’t worth the 4 AM shame spiral.

Weekend catch-up sleep? Meh

You can “make up” some sleep on the weekend, but it’s not perfect. It's like watering a dead plant—it might perk up for a second, but the damage is kinda done.

If you’re constantly crashing on Saturdays, it means your weekday schedule is too brutal. Been there. Burned out. Slept 13 hours and still woke up groggy. Not fun.

What happens if you don’t get enough sleep at 20?

• Concentration tanks. You read the same sentence three times and still don’t know what it says.

• Mood goes haywire. Snappy, anxious, weirdly sad for no reason. Sleep deprivation messes with your emotional regulation.

• Memory suffers. And this one hurts—especially if you’re a student. Sleep helps consolidate memory, so cramming without sleep is basically shooting yourself in the foot.

• Immune system drops. One bad night = cold incoming. Your body’s defense system runs best while you’re snoozing.

Honestly, when I finally fixed my sleep schedule at 22, I felt like a new person. Clearer head, better skin (true story), more patience with my family. Wish I’d listened sooner.

So… how much sleep should a 20 year old get really?

The golden rule: aim for 8

7–9 hours is the official range. 8 is the magic number most people feel best on. That said, everyone’s a little different—so find what works for you, but don’t dip below 7 regularly. That’s where things get dicey.

And hey, if you’ve been running on 4 or 5 for weeks? Don’t freak out. Just start fixing it little by little. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Cut caffeine after 3 PM. Make your bed a “no scroll” zone.

Small habits = big wins.

Final thoughts (because you’re probably reading this at midnight)

If you’re asking “How much sleep does a 20 year old need?”, you probably already know the answer deep down. You’re not invincible (even though it kinda feels like it at 20). Your body’s doing serious work—studying, hustling, healing—and sleep is non-negotiable fuel.

Take it from someone who learned the hard way: treat sleep like a priority, not a leftover.

Now go to bed, yeah?

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.