When Is the Best Time to Wake Up? Here's Our Answer!
Enjoying quality sleep every night and waking refreshed every day doesn’t need to be an unattainable goal. It’s easier than you think to create a sleep schedule that results in restful nights and energized days. Learning how much sleep you need and the best wake up time will give you a greater feeling of control, along with lots of restorative sleep, and tons of energy to tackle your busy days. Let’s learn how.
When Is the Best Time to Wake Up in the Morning?
The best time to wake up depends on your work schedule and lifestyle. Not everyone shares the same circadian rhythm. Some are early risers and wake up with the birds, others prefer to hop out of bed when the sun is setting. Your circadian rhythm can change throughout your life, as a teenager you would sleep all day (given the chance!) through adulthood, work obligations could have you working 9-5, or shift work has you taking advantage of the night.
Sleep Recommendations by Age
Age
Hours
0-3 months
14-17
4-24 months
11-16
3-5 years
10-13
6-13 years
9-12
14-17 years
8-10
18-64 years
7-9
65+
7-8
The Best Time to Go to Sleep
The table below suggests the best time to go to sleep based on your wake-up time and how many hours of sleep you need. Five REM cycles equates to about 7.5 hours of sleep, and 6 REM cycles is about 9 hours of sleep.
Wake-Up Time
5 Cycles
6 Cyles
5:00 a.m.
9:15 p.m.
7:45 p.m.
5:15 a.m.
9:30 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
5:30 a.m.
9:45 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
5:45 a.m.
10:00 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
6:00 a.m.
10:15 p.m.
8:45 p.m.
6:15 a.m.
10:30 p.m.
9:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m.
10:45 p.m.
9:15 p.m.
6:45 a.m.
11:00 p.m.
9:30 p.m.
7:00 a.m.
11:15 p.m.
9:45 p.m.
7:15 a.m.
11:30 p.m.
10:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m.
11:45 p.m.
10:15 p.m.
7:45 a.m.
12:00 a.m.
10:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m.
12:15 a.m.
10:45 p.m.
8: 15 a.m.
12:30 a.m.
11:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m.
12:45 a.m.
11:15 p.m.
8:45 a.m.
1:00 a.m.
11:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
1:15 a.m.
11:45 p.m.
How Circadian Rhythms Works
Your circadian rhythm is your 24-hour body clock, it brings sleepiness in the evening and makes you feel full of energy in the morning. If you’re a shift worker, you’ve probably adjusted to sleeping during the day and working at night. Your circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle) can be adapted to suit your lifestyle.
Your circadian rhythm can be impacted by using electronics in bed. Watching TV, or scrolling through Instagram before falling asleep, tricks your brain into thinking it's daytime because of the blue light of the screen. The dark of night sends a signal to your brain to alert you that it’s time to go to bed. Using electronics in bed disturbs your melatonin levels and agitates your natural circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm:
- Works in synchronicity with the light and dark of your external environment
- Experiences biggest decline in energy happens between 2:00 am and 4:00 am and 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
- Can be improved by maintaining a regular sleep schedule will help you fall asleep and wake up with ease
Want to learn how to wake up early? Check this out!
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can have a huge impact on your physical health and mental wellbeing. In sleep, your body restores its energy, hormones are regulated, memories are cataloged, and stored. Sleep is essential to a healthy life, it’s even more important when your body is healing from illness, or recovering from injury.
The best time to go to sleep depends on your schedule, but adults need 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to feel refreshed every day.
Your quality of sleep can be impacted by:
- High blood pressure
- Weak immune system
- Illness
- Medication
- Obesity
- Depression
- Stress
- Irregular sleep pattern
Getting Too Much Sleep
Ever wake up from a long nap and feel groggy? It may be the effect of too much sleep. If you sleep more than 9 hours per night, it could be a sign of depression or illness. While plenty of sleep is vital when you’re recovering from illness or injury, outside of these times, too much sleep could lead to some health problems.
Sleeping more than 9 hours per night could be a sign of an underlying health issue such as:
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Thyroid disease
- Sleep apnea
- Anxiety
If you’re sleeping more than 9 hours per night, don’t panic! You could be adjusting to a new sleep schedule, time zone, or working a physical job that requires more sleep at night. Schedule a checkup with your doctor if you’re sleeping too much or too little to rule out any health problems.
Maintaining a Regular Sleep Schedule
A regular sleep schedule gives you control over your life, finding the best time to sleep and the healthy time to wake up is centered around your work/study/family/lifestyle commitments.
To keep the best sleep time every night and wake up time every day:
- Keep your regular wake up and bedtime, even at weekends
- Keep the occasional daytime nap to a maximum of 30 minutes
- Expose yourself to bright sunlight every morning
- Avoid late-night TV
- Enjoy fresh air every day
- Establish an exercise routine that fits into your schedule
- Limit caffeine and avoid nicotine
- Have dinner at least 3 hours before bed
- Limit before-bed snacks to something small and easily digestible like a banana or bowl of oatmeal
Want to learn how to reset your sleep schedule? Check out our REM Sleep Calculator.
How to Fall Asleep Fast
- Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature of 60–67°F
- Listen to relaxing music as you fall asleep
- Practice deep breathing techniques before bed to relax
- Enjoy a warm bath or shower before bed to relax your muscles
- Unplug from your electronic devices (cell phone, tablet, laptop, TV)
Switch sleep positions if you’re having difficulty finding comfort
- Ensure you’re sleeping on a comfortable, pressure-relieving mattress
For even more tips on a falling asleep quickly, check out this blog.
The Best Time to Wake Up
There is no universal healthiest time to wake up—it all comes down to your work and life commitments. Check out the above sleep calculator to help you find the ideal time to wake up and go to bed.
To support a robust circadian rhythm, build your schedule around 7-9 hours of sleep. It's also important to maintain a regular schedule, waking up at the time every day, even on the weekends. This helps regulate your system, so you'll feel tired around the same time every night and feel wide awake in the morning.
Tips for Waking Yourself Up in the Morning
- Improve your bedtime routine and sleep hygiene, sleeping well at night makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning
- Move your alarm clock far from your bed to avoid hitting the snooze button
- Eat healthy food every day to keep illness at bay
- Enjoy regular exercise to sleep better at night
- Schedule a sleep study with your doctor if you’re having great difficulty keeping to a healthy sleep schedule
Conclusion
The perfect time to sleep allows you to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. During this time your body regenerates itself. Poor quality sleep has the potential to wreak havoc on your physical health and mental wellbeing. The best times to wake up will allow you time to shower, eat a healthy breakfast, and prepare for the day ahead. It can be an adjustment to clean up your sleep hygiene and stick to a dedicated sleep and wake up time, but, the positive benefits are worth it.
FAQs
When Is the Best Time to Wake Up?
The optimal time to wake up is determined by your work schedule and family commitments. Create a bedtime and wake time that allows you 7-9 hours of sleep every night. 7-9 hours of sleep every night ensures you’re regenerating and refilling your energy for your waking hours.
You may also want to track your sleep cycles using a smart watch, ring, or another device with sleep sensors. That way, you can learn your sleep patterns and set your alarm to wake you from the lightest sleep stage, after REM sleep. Waking up from Stage 3 or REM sleep can cause sleep inertia, making you feel groggy instead of refreshed and ready to start the day.
When Is the Best Time to Go to Bed?
The best time to go to bed will allow you 7-9 hours of quality restful sleep. During this time, your body regenerates, restores energy, stores memories, and helps you heal from illness. Before bed, unplug from electronics, enjoy a warm bath or shower, listen to chillout music, or read a book to ease into your sleep time.
Remember, going to bed at the same time every night is key. This helps establish a strong circadian rhythm, helping you feel alert during the day and drowsy at night so you can fall asleep fast.
How to Wake Yourself Up
Getting enough quality sleep at night is the only way to wake up easily in the morning. Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Heavy sleepers may need a loud alarm clock, put it away from your bed so you’re not tempted to press the snooze button multiple times.
Once you're up, try to get outside as soon as possible. Getting natural sunlight first thing in the morning helps you feel alert and strengthens your circadian rhythm. Then, eat a healthy breakfast to wake up your digestive system.
Disclaimer: Nolah does not provide medical advice. All resources on the Nolah blog, including this article, are informational only and do not replace professional medical counsel. Talk to your doctor about any health, mental health, or sleep-related issues.
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