What time did you go to bed last night? How long did you get to sleep? Did you get enough sleep? Quality sleep is essential for our bodies to function properly, but the truth is, even knowing this, we often overlook the importance of getting a good night's rest.
Our weight, metabolism, and mood, as well as our energy levels, are directly affected by the quality of our sleep (or lack thereof). Some people have a set bedtime, while others let themselves go with the flow, preferring to lie down when tired or when family or work tasks are complete.
This question brings us to the crux of the matter: we all know what time we should wake up the next morning, but few know what time we should go to bed. There's a specific amount of sleep recommended for each individual, so the body can function at its best. That's why it's so important to calculate the best time to go to bed, based on your wake-up time and natural sleep cycles.
The amount of sleep we need changes throughout our lives. According to Healthline , a child may need up to 17 hours of sleep per day, while an older adult may only need seven hours a night. We all have different sleep needs to feel sufficiently rested. Different people, even those of the same age, may require different amounts of sleep to feel full.
According to the National Sleep Foundation , the general recommended sleep guidelines for different age groups are:
- Birth in 3 months: 2 to 5 pm;
- 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours;
- 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours;
- 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours;
- 6 to 13 years old: 9 to 11 hours;
- 14 to 17 years old: 8 to 10 hours;
- 18 to 64 years old: 7 to 9 hours;
- 65 years or older: 7 to 8 hours.
The stages of sleep and the length of the cycles
According to the same source, the time we should go to sleep is based on factors such as the importance of being able to complete five or six 90-minute sleep cycles, as well as the time we have to wake up.
When we fall asleep, we go through several sleep cycles, each of which has four stages. According to the National Sleep Foundation , the first stage is the period between waking and falling asleep; the second represents the onset of sleep; the third is the deepest sleep stage and serves a restorative function; and finally, the last stage occurs when our brain is most active and when we dream.
Each cycle takes, on average, 90 minutes to complete. Therefore, to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, we must complete five or six cycles. The best option would be to wake up at the end of a cycle, rather than in the middle of one. The second option, besides making it much harder to get out of bed, will not allow us to achieve the same feeling of energy and well-being that we would have if we had let this process finish.
Before going to bed, avoid looking at your TV or cell phone screens, read a book, and relax. If you have trouble falling asleep, put on some relaxing background music—the best tip for waking up in a better mood the next morning.
