Wellness
Sleep calculator: what time should I go to bed?
Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, so for a 6:30 am alarm aim to be in bed between 9:15 pm and 11:15 pm. Children need more: 9 to 12 hours at ages 6–12.
How much sleep do you need by age?
| Age | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Baby, 4–12 months | 12–16 hours | AASM |
| Toddler, 1–2 | 11–14 hours | AASM |
| Child, 3–5 | 10–13 hours | AASM |
| Child, 6–12 | 9–12 hours | AASM |
| Teen, 13–18 | 8–10 hours | AASM |
| Adult, 18–64 | 7–9 hours | AASM/SRS; NSF |
| Adult, 65+ | 7–8 hours | NSF |
Naps count toward the total up to age 5. The AASM recommends 7 or more hours for adults; the 9 and 8-hour upper figures are the National Sleep Foundation’s.
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How the bedtime calculator works
Bedtime = wake-up time minus the recommended hours for your age, minus 15 minutes to fall asleep (our assumption). The sleep-cycle times count back in 90-minute cycles, a common average; real cycles run about 70 to 120 minutes, so treat them as a guide.
Questions
What time should I go to bed if I wake up at 6:30?
Between 9:15 pm and 11:15 pm for 7 to 9 hours of sleep, allowing 15 minutes to fall asleep. For whole sleep cycles, 10:45 pm (5 cycles) or 9:15 pm (6 cycles).
How much sleep does an adult need?
7 or more hours a night (AASM and Sleep Research Society); the National Sleep Foundation suggests 7 to 9 hours, and 7 to 8 after 65.
How much sleep does a child need?
9 to 12 hours at ages 6–12 and 8 to 10 hours for teens, from the AASM consensus endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
What time should a 7-year-old go to bed?
For a 7:00 am wake-up, between 6:45 pm and 9:45 pm gives 9 to 12 hours.
What is a sleep cycle?
A run through light, deep and REM sleep, about 90 minutes on average. Waking at the end of one may feel easier, but cycles vary from person to person and night to night.
If I go to bed at 11 pm, when should I wake up?
Between 6:15 am and 8:15 am for 7 to 9 hours; 6:45 am or 8:15 am to wake between cycles.
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Sources
- Paruthi et al. 2016, Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: AASM consensus statement, J Clin Sleep Med
- AASM and Sleep Research Society: Seven or more hours of sleep per night a health necessity for adults (2015)
- CBS News: National Sleep Foundation’s recommended sleep times by age (2015)