Best Wake-Up Times If You Sleep At 6:00 AM

Based on 90-minute sleep cycles and ~15 minutes to fall asleep, here are your best options.

10:45 AM
3 cycles (4.5h)
12:15 PM
4 cycles (6h)
1:45 PM
5 cycles (7.5h)
3:15 PM
6 cycles (9h)

How This Works

A full sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, moving through light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. Waking up at the end of a cycle (rather than in the middle of one) generally feels more refreshing. We also add about 15 minutes for the average time it takes to fall asleep.

Formula

Wake-Up Time = Bedtime + 15 min to fall asleep + (Cycles × 90 min)

Example

Falling asleep at 11:00 PM with 5 full cycles (7.5 hours of sleep) puts your wake-up time at approximately 6:45 AM.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time should I wake up if I go to bed at 6:00 AM?

Good options are 10:45 AM (4.5h), 12:15 PM (6h), 1:45 PM (7.5h), 3:15 PM (9h).

Why 90-minute increments?

A full sleep cycle lasts approximately 90 minutes. Waking up at the end of a cycle, rather than mid-cycle, tends to feel less groggy.