What Is the Best Time to Sleep and Wake Up?

Published: Mar 31, 2021

Updated: Sep 16, 2024

What Is the Best Time to Sleep and Wake Up?

Author

Jessica Brown

In this article

Reading time

8 min

What is the best time to sleep and wake up? As we age, the amount of melatonin in the body begins to decrease, so we wake up earlier and earlier.

The change began in the 1930s. Studies have shown that the ideal time to wake up in our twenties is 9:30 in the morning, in our 30s at 8 in the morning, in our 40s at 7:30, and in our 50s at 7 in the morning. At 6:30 in the morning in our sixties, this, of course, means that we need to adjust the bedtime to suit our wake-up time to obtain the required rest time.

Key Takeaways

The best time to sleep and wake up depends on your age and natural biological clock.

Melatonin production decreases with age, leading to earlier wake-up times.

Ideally, in your twenties, you should wake up at 9:30 a.m., and this time gradually shifts to earlier hours as you age.

Going to bed before 11 p.m. is recommended to align with your body’s detoxification process.

Prioritizing an early bedtime and wake-up time aligns with the body’s natural rhythm and can lead to better health.

Is There A Best Time To Go To Sleep And Wake Up?

As the saying goes, early to bed and early to rise are good for health. Is that true? Is it okay to wake up late from sleep tonight?

You have an amazing biological clock in your body. This is very precise. It helps to regulate your various bodily functions, including your sleep time.

From 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., most of your blood circulation is concentrated in the liver. As it fills with more blood, the liver becomes larger. This is an important moment in your body’s detoxification process. Your liver neutralizes and breaks down toxins that accumulate in the body throughout the day.

However, if you don’t sleep at this time, your liver cannot carry out this detoxification process smoothly.

If you sleep at 11 p.m., you have a full 4 hours to detoxify your body.
Sleep at 12 a.m., you have 3 hours.
Sleep at 1 a.m., you have 2 hours.
And if you sleep at 2 a.m., you only have 1 hour to detoxify.
What if you sleep after 3 a.m.? Unfortunately, you won’t have any time to actually detoxify your body. If you continue with this sleeping pattern, these toxins will accumulate in your body over time. You know what happens next.

What If You Go To Bed Late And Wake Up Late?

women trying to stop alarm clock with her hand while in bed

Have you tried going to bed very late at night? Did you realize you feel very tired the next day, no matter how much you sleep?

Sleeping late and waking up late is indeed very bad for your health. Besides not having enough time to detoxify your body, you will miss out on other important body functions, too.

From 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., most blood circulation concentrates in your lungs. What should you do at this moment? Well, you should exercise and breathe in the fresh air. Take good energy into your body, preferably in a garden. At this time, the air is very fresh with lots of beneficial negative ions.

From 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., most blood circulation concentrates in your large intestine. What should you do at this moment? You should poop! Pass out all unwanted poop from your large intestine. Prepare your body to absorb more nutrients throughout the day.

From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., most blood circulation concentrates in your stomach. What should you do at this moment? Have your breakfast! This is your most important meal of the day. Make sure you have all the required nutrients from your breakfast. Not having breakfast causes lots of health problems for you in the future.

That’s The Way To Start Your Day

Black colored small alarm clock & a women smiling in the background

There you are… the most ideal way to start your day. After fully detoxifying your blood during your sleep, you wake up fresh to inhale beneficial energy. Then you pass out unwanted poop from your large intestine. After that, you take in balanced nutrients to prepare your body for a new day.

No wonder people living in villages or farms are healthier. They sleep early and wake up early. They follow their natural biological clock.

Living in the city, we have more difficulty in following this sleeping schedule. We have good lighting, TV, and internet to delay our precious sleeping time.

Following Your Natural Timetable

Once I know the importance of our biological clock, I try my best to follow it. If I wake up early, I usually start my day on the computer. But when I see the clock shows 7 a.m., I know it’s the best time for breakfast. So I’ll try to have my breakfast before 9 a.m. for best absorption. The best time to sleep and wake up depends on you.

What if you’re offered a night shift job? I recommend you reject it even if the salary is higher. In the long term, you may need to spend more money on your health problems.

What if you have an assignment to do until late at night? Well, why not sleep early and wake up earlier to do it? Just shift your work time from late night to early morning. You get the same time. But your body will appreciate it. The best time to sleep is 11 p.m., so go to bed before 11 p.m. and have a healthy life.

If you have trouble sleeping, try ShutEye®, an all-in-one sleep app. ShutEye® brings a wide variety of tools to help you fall asleep and understand your sleep cycles from a scientific perspective.

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FAQ

The best bedtime and wake time and age. It is important to align your sleep schedule with your natural circadian rhythm and sleep cycles to ensure you get enough quality sleep. You can use a sleep calculator or consult sleep experts to find out how much sleep you need and what time should you go to bed.

The amount of sleep you need depends on various factors, including your age and individual sleep requirements. On average, adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function optimally and maintain good health and well-being. However, some individuals may require more or less sleep. It’s important to listen to your body and prioritize sleep to avoid sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on your physical health, mental well-being, and overall performance. Lack of sufficient sleep can lead to daytime drowsiness, poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, mood swings, and an increased risk of accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation has also been associated with a higher risk of developing certain health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

To ensure you are getting the right amount of sleep, you can follow these tips: – Establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time and stick to it. – Create a relaxing bedtime routine to signal your body it’s time to wind down. – Ensure your sleep environment is comfortable, cool, and dark so you can get good quality sleep. – Limit your exposure to electronic devices before bed. – Avoid caffeine and stimulants close to bedtime. They can mess with your Rapid Eye Movement REM sleep. – Practice stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises. – If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, consult a sleep expert for further guidance.

The circadian rhythm is your body’s internal biological clock, which regulates various physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles. The timing of your circadian rhythm is influenced by external cues, such as light and darkness. By aligning your bedtime with your natural circadian rhythm, you can improve the quality of your sleep and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and energized.

To achieve optimal health and well-being, it is recommended to establish a consistent sleep schedule that allows you to get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. By prioritizing your sleep and creating a routine, you can tune your sleep schedule to meet your individual needs and improve your quality of sleep.

Shift work disrupts the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, as it often involves working during the night and sleeping during the day. This can lead to difficulties falling asleep and maintaining sleep, as well as a higher risk of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation. It is important for shift workers to create a dark and quiet sleep environment, establish a consistent sleep schedule, and prioritize sleep hygiene practices to optimize their sleep quality and overall health.

About authors

Jessica Brown

Author

Jessica Brown, a 29-year-old freelance copywriter passionate about human nature and deeply committed to promoting sleep and mental health awareness. Jessica holds a Master of Arts in Literary Studies from the National University of Singapore and a Bachelor's in Biology from the University of Cambridge.

Meet our author

Pacheco, D. (2024) How Age Affects Your Circadian Rhythm [online]. Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/how-age-affects-your-circadian-rhythm

References

Pacheco, D. (2024) How Age Affects Your Circadian Rhythm [online]. Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/how-age-affects-your-circadian-rhythm