Sleep Calculator

Bedtime and wake-up times based on 90-minute cycles

β€» A sleep cycle averages 90 minutes but ranges from roughly 70 to 110 minutes between individuals. This is a guide based on waking near a cycle boundary, not a medical tool.
Recommended sleep by age
Age groupRecommended
Newborn (0-3 mo)14-17 h
Infant (4-11 mo)12-15 h
Toddler (1-2 y)11-14 h
Preschool (3-5 y)10-13 h
School age (6-13 y)9-11 h
Teen (14-17 y)8-10 h
Adult (18-64 y)7-9 h
Older adult (65+)7-8 h
FAQ
Why 90-minute blocks?
Sleep runs in repeating cycles of light sleep, deep sleep and REM, averaging about 90 minutes each. Waking in the middle of deep sleep feels far worse than waking near the end of a cycle, even for the same total hours.
Why add time to fall asleep?
Lying down is not the same as being asleep. Healthy adults usually need 10-20 minutes, so 14 is used as the default. Increase it to 20-30 if you normally take longer to drift off.
How many cycles should I aim for?
Five cycles (7.5 hours) and six cycles (9 hours) are highlighted for adults. Four cycles is on the short side, and three is a fallback for nights when a full sleep is not possible.
It did not make me feel rested
Cycle length varies from roughly 70 to 110 minutes between people and shifts with your condition. Track a few nights to find your own interval. If you sleep enough but stay sleepy through the day, it is worth discussing with a doctor.
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Working backwards from your alarm

Sleep is not one uniform state. It moves through light sleep, deep sleep and REM in a repeating block that averages 90 minutes, and a typical night contains four to six of them. An alarm that lands in the middle of deep sleep produces that heavy, groggy feeling even when the total hours look fine, so this calculator lines up wake time with the end of a cycle instead.

Three ways to use it

Keep in mind

Because cycle length is individual, treat the output as a starting point. Consistent bed and wake times, and cutting bright screens and caffeine before bed, tend to matter more for how rested you feel than hitting an exact cycle boundary.

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