Sleep Calculator

Updated: October 21, 2024

See What Time Should You Be Sleeping or Waking Up

Sleep: How Much Do You Need?

The optimal amount of nightly sleep varies depending on your age.

For most adults aged 18 to 64, a sleep duration of 7 to 9 hours per night is recommended.

Age Group	Recommended Sleep
Adults (18 and older):	7–9 hours
Teenagers (14–17 years):	8–10 hours
School-age children (6–13 years):	9–11 hours
Preschool children (3–5 years):	11–13 hours
Toddlers (1–2 years):	11–14 hours
Infants (4–11 months):	12–16 hours
Newborns (0–3 months)	16–18 hours

These guidelines are the result of two years of comprehensive research conducted by the National Sleep Foundation.

While these recommendations provide a valuable benchmark, individual needs can differ. It’s crucial to listen to your body—if you find yourself feeling tired or drowsy during the day, it may be a sign that you require more sleep.

Sleep Cycles: An Essential Overview

Sleep cycles represent the various stages your body naturally transitions through each night, ensuring both physical restoration and mental rejuvenation. Each cycle spans approximately 90 minutes, encompassing four distinct stages: three non-REM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) stages followed by a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. Gaining a deeper understanding of these cycles is key to optimizing your sleep quality and waking up truly refreshed.

Stage 1 (Light Sleep): The initial phase where wakefulness gently gives way to sleep. During this brief transition, your muscles begin to relax, and brain activity slows down, preparing your body for deeper rest.
Stage 2 (Deeper Light Sleep): In this stage, your body temperature decreases, your heart rate slows, and brain waves further decelerate. This stage constitutes approximately 50% of your total sleep time, laying the groundwork for the more restorative phases ahead.
Stage 3 (Deep Sleep): The pinnacle of physical restoration, deep sleep is where your body undertakes essential repair work, including tissue regeneration, bone and muscle building, and immune system fortification. Awakening from this stage can leave you feeling disoriented, underscoring its critical role in your overall well-being.
Stage 4 (REM Sleep): The REM stage is marked by heightened brain activity, vivid dreaming, and rapid eye movements. This phase is vital for cognitive function and emotional health, facilitating memory consolidation and mood regulation.

Waking up at the conclusion of a sleep cycle, rather than in the middle, can profoundly impact how refreshed and alert you feel.

Throughout the night, your body cycles through these stages multiple times. Aligning your wake-up time with the conclusion of a sleep cycle, rather than in the midst of one, can significantly enhance how rested and alert you feel. Leveraging a sleep calculator can assist you in crafting an optimal sleep schedule, perfectly synchronized with your body’s natural rhythms.

Sleep Calculator

See What Time Should You Be Sleeping or Waking Up

Sleep: How Much Do You Need?

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Sleep Cycles: An Essential Overview

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