What Time Should I Go to Bed If I Wake Up at 5/6/7 AM?

Many people ask the same question: “What time should I go to bed if I need to wake up early?” On this page, you’ll find simple bedtime suggestions if you have to wake up at 5:00, 6:00 or 7:00 AM – based on 90-minute sleep cycles and about 15 minutes to fall asleep.

How These Bedtime Suggestions Work

Your brain sleeps in cycles of about 90 minutes. Each cycle moves from light sleep into deeper sleep and then back to lighter stages. You usually feel best when you wake up near the end of a cycle, not in the middle of deep sleep.

In the examples below, we assume:

• You need about 15 minutes to fall asleep.
• You complete 4, 5 or 6 full sleep cycles (6, 7.5 or 9 hours of sleep).

The suggested bedtimes are therefore: wake-up time minus (sleep duration + 15 minutes to fall asleep).

If You Need to Wake Up at 5:00 AM

Here are example bedtimes if you have to get up at 5:00 AM:

• 4 cycles (6 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 23:00 → go to bed about 22:45
• 5 cycles (7.5 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 21:30 → go to bed about 21:15
• 6 cycles (9 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 20:00 → go to bed about 19:45

If you need more sleep, choose the earlier bedtimes. If you sleep better with fewer hours, start with the later ones and see how you feel.

If You Need to Wake Up at 6:00 AM

For a 6:00 AM wake-up time, typical bedtimes are:

• 4 cycles (6 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 00:00 → go to bed about 23:45
• 5 cycles (7.5 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 22:30 → go to bed about 22:15
• 6 cycles (9 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 21:00 → go to bed about 20:45

Many people feel best with 7.5 hours (5 cycles), but it’s worth testing different options for a week each and listening to your body.

If You Need to Wake Up at 7:00 AM

For a 7:00 AM wake-up time, you can try:

• 4 cycles (6 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 01:00 → go to bed about 00:45
• 5 cycles (7.5 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 23:30 → go to bed about 23:15
• 6 cycles (9 hours of sleep): fall asleep around 22:00 → go to bed about 21:45

Pick the bedtime that fits your life best and keep it consistent for at least a few days before you decide whether it works for you.

Use the Sleep Calculator for Any Wake-Up Time

You don’t have to calculate all of this in your head. Use the free Sleep Calculator on BestBedtime.net to find bedtimes for any wake-up time – not just 5, 6 or 7 AM.

Simply choose “I want to wake up at”, enter your desired wake-up time, and select how long you usually need to fall asleep. The calculator will show several suggested bedtimes based on 90-minute sleep cycles.

More Guides About Sleep Timing

If you want to go deeper, you can also read:

• How Much Sleep Do I Need? (By Age + Calculator)
• Best Time to Sleep and Wake Up (According to Science)

Together with this page and the sleep calculator, these guides help you plan a sleep schedule that fits your life and helps you wake up more refreshed.