How to Calculate When You Should Go to Sleep

17 December 2019

You may understand and acknowledge the power of quality sleep. After all, a healthy sleep cycle helps regulate your hormones, boost your metabolism, lower risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, etc. It is quite possible that you may still be a bit perplexed about just "when" to sleep.

Many people don't have a good idea about their proper bedtime and wake time. That is because a lot of them are wired with a socially identified time for waking. You see, there is always some form of external commitment that you need to wake up for. For example, you need to wake up for work, to get your dog outside, to dress your child for school, etc.

These are just a handful of factors that dictate when exactly you should get up, which also means that you don't have a natural wake up time that is under your control.   Going to bed, however, provides a bit more freedom.

How Much Should You Sleep?

The quantity of sleep you need to optimally function and for a general wellness is subject to change throughout your lifetime. According to the National Sleep Foundation, babies need up to 16 to 17 hours of sleep each day. However, an adult can function fine by sleeping 7 to 8 hours a day. But this research is just an indication or a good suggestion for how much you should sleep based on your body's need.

Your Sleep Goals and Calculating Your Sleep

In creating a healthy sleep cycle and a bedtime routine, there a couple of very important factors or goals you are working towards - for example, high quality sleep and a fulfilling sleep.

Calculating your sleep can help you understand your body's optimal circadian rhythm, your sleep and wake rhythm and whether or not you are getting sufficient sleep.

Calculating Your Sleep

There is a very simple of you can formulize your sleep. Take a look:

  • An average sleep cycle lasts for 90 minutes
  • A good night's sleep contains 5 sleep cycles
  • Multiply 90 by 5 - and you get 450 minutes or 7.5 hours
  • The best way to figure out your sleep time is to calculate the hours in reverse - which is 7.5 hours from when you wake up

 

For instance, you've set the alarm for 7 a.m. When you wake up at 7, count 7.5 hours and you get 11.30 p.m. So, 11.30 p.m. is your ideal sleep time.

This is just an example of your bedtime starting point - you may have to make some adjustments in your routine because sleep cycles vary for every individual. You are going to get a good idea about your proper bedtime after you try this for a week.

The objective is to naturally wake up five to ten minutes after your alarm goes off. If you are waking up twenty to twenty-five minutes after the alarms sounds, you need to adjust your bedtime.

How Humidifiers Can Help You Sleep Better

You have probably heard about how beneficial a humidifier can be to enhance different aspects of your life. However, what you may not know is that a humidifier can also act as an augmentation to improve your sleep.

This is especially a truism for people that live drier or humid climates and sleep with the air conditioning on.  By using a FlexiSpot Cool Mist Humidifier HM2 - 3L, you can drastically reduce the overall humidity in your room, which can effectively eliminate problems such as dry nose and snoring. With 37 hours of continuous operation, the cool mist humidifier comes with a night light an adjustable nozzle.

In addition, a cool mist humidifier such as the FlexiSpot standing desk edition can also help provide very refreshing and hydrating effects. Cool mist humidifiers are also increasingly safe to use around children and are generally a cost-effective option compared to warm water humidifiers, which are excellent for winter.