How to work out when to go to bed
- Choose I want to wake up at to get bedtimes, or I’m going to bed at to get wake-up times.
- Type the Time, such as 6:30 am or 23:00, and how many Minutes to fall asleep it usually takes you.
- Pick one of the times listed. Each one gives you a whole number of 90-minute cycles, from 3 to 6.
How the times are worked out
Each time is your chosen time plus or minus the minutes it takes to fall asleep and a whole number of 90-minute cycles. For a 7:00 am alarm with 15 minutes to drop off:
| Cycles | Sleep | Go to sleep at |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 9 hours | 9:45 pm |
| 5 | 7.5 hours | 11:15 pm |
| 4 | 6 hours | 12:45 am |
| 3 | 4.5 hours | 2:15 am |
Going the other way works the same. If you get into bed at 11:00 pm and fall asleep 15 minutes later, five cycles take you to 6:45 am and six cycles to 8:15 am.
Treat the times as a guide
The 90-minute figure is an average, so your own cycles may run shorter or longer and your alarm won’t always land at the end of one. If a time from the list leaves you groggy, try 15 minutes either side for a week and keep what feels best.
A regular bedtime and wake time tends to help more than any single night’s timing. If you often lie awake for a long time, wake up tired after a full night or snore heavily, it’s worth talking to a doctor.