Sleep cycle times

What Time Should I Wake Up if I Go to Bed at 11:30 PM?

If you go to bed at 11:30 PM, set your alarm for 7:15 AM for about 7.5 hours of sleep, or 8:45 AM for about 9. These times allow about 15 minutes to fall asleep.

Wake up atRecommended

8:45 AM

6 cycles · about 9 hours of sleep

Wake up atRecommended

7:15 AM

5 cycles · about 7.5 hours of sleep

Wake up at

5:45 AM

4 cycles · about 6 hours of sleep · a short night

Wake up at

4:15 AM

3 cycles · about 4.5 hours of sleep · a short night

Making a 11:30 PM bedtime work

11:30 PM is a common bedtime that works for most Bears, and it leaves room for a full night before a typical workday.

If you wake up groggy even after enough hours, try moving your alarm by 15 minutes either way; everyone's cycles run a little differently.

For a 11:30 PM bedtime, finish your last average cup of coffee by about 6:24 PM, roughly five hours before bed for an average metaboliser. The caffeine cutoff calculator works out yours from the drinks you've had today.

These times assume sleep cycles of about 90 minutes. Real cycles run from about 70 to 120 minutes and change through the night, so treat them as a starting point. For any other time, use the sleep cycle calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of sleep do I get if I go to bed at 11:30 PM?

Allowing about 15 minutes to fall asleep, a 7:15 AM alarm gives about 7.5 hours of sleep and 8:45 AM gives about 9. Most adults need 7 to 9.

Is it OK to wake up at 5:45 AM?

That's about 6 hours of sleep (4 cycles): fine occasionally, but most adults need more. If short nights are common, the sleep debt calculator shows how much you're carrying.

When should I stop drinking coffee for a 11:30 PM bedtime?

Finish one average cup by about 6:24 PM, roughly five hours before bed for an average metaboliser. A bigger cup, a slower metabolism, or earlier coffee still in your system moves that earlier.

Why wake at the end of a sleep cycle?

Near the end of a cycle, sleep is lighter, so waking tends to feel easier. Waking from deep sleep can leave you groggy for a while. Cycles vary from about 70 to 120 minutes, so treat the times as estimates.

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