If you go to bed at 11:00 PM, set your alarm for 6:45 AM to wake after 5 full sleep cycles (7.5 hours), or 8:15 AM for 6 cycles (9 hours). Both assume about 15 minutes to fall asleep.
Eleven o'clock is one of the most common bedtimes for working adults, and it's a good one. The question is usually less "when should I wake up" and more "does my existing alarm fit." This page answers both.
Free toolSleep CalculatorBest bedtime or wake-up time, based on 90-minute sleep cycles.Wake-up times for an 11 PM bedtime
| Cycles | Sleep | Wake-up time |
|---|---|---|
| 3 cycles | 4.5 h | 3:45 AM |
| 4 cycles | 6 h | 5:15 AM |
| 5 cycles | 7.5 h | 6:45 AM |
| 6 cycles | 9 h | 8:15 AM |
For most adults, 6:45 AM is the pick. It gives you 7.5 hours, inside the 7-to-9-hour range sleep experts recommend.
How does your alarm line up?
Most people don't pick an alarm from a chart. They have one already. Here's how common alarm times fit an 11 PM bedtime, assuming you're asleep by 11:15.
| Alarm | Sleep you get | Where you wake |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 6 h 45 min | Mid-cycle (4.5 cycles) |
| 6:15 AM | 7 h | Late in cycle 5 |
| 6:30 AM | 7 h 15 min | Near the end of cycle 5 |
| 6:45 AM | 7 h 30 min | End of cycle 5 |
| 7:00 AM | 7 h 45 min | Just into cycle 6 |
| 7:15 AM | 8 h | Early in cycle 6 |
| 7:30 AM | 8 h 15 min | Mid-cycle (5.5 cycles) |
| 8:00 AM | 8 h 45 min | Late in cycle 6 |
Two useful takeaways:
- A 6:00 AM alarm is the rough one. You're under 7 hours and likely waking in the middle of a cycle. If 6 AM is fixed, move your bedtime to 10:15 PM instead. Bedtimes for a 6 AM alarm.
- A 7:00 or 7:30 AM alarm gives plenty of sleep but can still feel groggy, because the alarm lands early or mid-way through a new cycle. Some people feel better setting it back to 6:45, or pushing bedtime to 11:15 or 11:45 so the cycle math lines up.
Don't let this override common sense, though. If you feel good at 7:15, you're getting enough sleep, and that matters more than landing on an exact cycle.
If you take longer (or less time) to fall asleep
| Time to fall asleep | 4 cycles | 5 cycles | 6 cycles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 5:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:10 AM |
| 20 minutes | 5:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:20 AM |
| 30 minutes | 5:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:30 AM |
If you're one of the people who read or scroll for half an hour after getting into bed, count that too. "In bed at 11" and "asleep at 11" can be 30 or 40 minutes apart. How long it normally takes to fall asleep.
Waking at 5:15 AM on your own?
Look at the 4-cycle column: 5:15 AM. Some people with an 11 PM bedtime notice they surface around then, at the end of their fourth cycle. That's a normal light point in the night, and often you'll drift back off.
If you're wide awake at 5:15 most mornings and can't get back to sleep, it's worth checking what's going on: late alcohol, a too-warm room, early light through the curtains or stress are common culprits. If early waking goes on for weeks and you feel unrested, talk to a doctor.
Is 11 PM a good bedtime?
For most adults with a 6:30 to 7:30 AM start, yes. It gives room for 7 to 8 hours of sleep without needing a very early evening.
The bigger factor is doing it consistently. Going to bed at 11 on weeknights and 1:30 AM on weekends means your body clock never settles. Keep bedtime and wake-up time within about an hour, every day.
If you're not sure whether 7.5 hours is right for you, read how many sleep cycles you need, or put your own bedtime into the sleep calculator.