Counting forward from 12:00 AM
If you get into bed at midnight and fall asleep in about 15 minutes, your first cycle starts at 12:15 AM. With cycles of roughly 90 minutes, they end at:
- 6:15 AM (06:15): four cycles, 6 hours asleep;
- 7:45 AM (07:45): five cycles, 7.5 hours;
- 9:15 AM (09:15): six cycles, 9 hours.
These are marked ‘same day’ because midnight is the start of the new calendar day, so the morning you wake up is on the same date as your bedtime.
Which wake-up time fits a midnight bedtime?
7:45 AM is the one to aim for on most days. It gives 7.5 hours, above the 7-hour minimum recommended for adults.
9:15 AM gives 9 hours. It is useful on days off, but sleeping in much later than usual can make it harder to fall asleep the next night.
6:15 AM gives only 6 hours. If you regularly need to be up this early, an earlier bedtime will serve you better.
If you take more or less than 15 minutes to fall asleep
These times assume you fall asleep within 15 minutes. If it takes you longer, every wake-up time moves later by the difference. The highlighted row matches the answer at the top of this page.
| Fall asleep in | 9 h | 7.5 h | 6 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 9:05 AM09:05 | 7:35 AM07:35 | 6:05 AM06:05 |
| 10 min | 9:10 AM09:10 | 7:40 AM07:40 | 6:10 AM06:10 |
| 15 min | 9:15 AM09:15 | 7:45 AM07:45 | 6:15 AM06:15 |
| 20 min | 9:20 AM09:20 | 7:50 AM07:50 | 6:20 AM06:20 |
| 30 min | 9:30 AM09:30 | 8:00 AM08:00 | 6:30 AM06:30 |
If your alarm is earlier than 7:45 AM
With a 7:00 AM alarm, a midnight bedtime gives about 6 hours 45 minutes, a little under the adult recommendation. With a 7:30 AM alarm, you get about 7 hours 15 minutes. For bedtimes that fit these alarms, see bedtime for a 7 AM wake-up and bedtime for a 7:30 AM wake-up.
Is midnight a bad bedtime?
Not in itself. Some people naturally feel sleepy later in the evening, and if your schedule lets you wake around 7:45 AM, a midnight bedtime can work well. Problems start when late nights meet early alarms, leaving you short of sleep across the week. Regular times and morning daylight help keep your body clock steady.
When midnight turns into 1 AM
If you are still up at 1:00 AM, go to bed as soon as you can and keep your usual alarm. Sleeping in much later can make it hard to fall asleep the next night.
More answers
- Wake-up time if you sleep at 11:30 PMNearby answer
- Wake-up time if you sleep at 12:30 AMNearby answer
- Wake-up time if you sleep at 11 PMNearby answer
- Wake-up time if you sleep at 1 AMNearby answer
- Bedtime for a 4 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:15 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:30 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:45 AM wake-upRelated answer
Frequently asked questions
Is going to bed at midnight bad?
Not if you can sleep until about 7:45 AM (07:45), which gives 7.5 hours allowing 15 minutes to fall asleep. It becomes a problem when your alarm is much earlier.
How much sleep do I get from midnight to 6 AM?
About 5 hours 45 minutes, if you fall asleep by 12:15 AM, which is short for adults. See bedtime for a 6 AM wake-up for bedtimes that give 7.5 hours.
Why are the wake-up times marked “same day”?
Midnight is the start of a new calendar day, so a bedtime of 12:00 AM and a wake-up time the following morning fall on the same date.
Related calculators
Wake-up time calculator
Going to bed now or at a set time? Find wake-up times that land at the end of a cycle.
Bedtime calculator
Enter any wake-up time to see bedtimes that let you wake between sleep cycles.
Nap calculator
Plan a 10-, 20- or 90-minute nap and see when to set your alarm.
Sleep debt calculator
Add up the last seven nights and see how far you are from your sleep target.
Sources
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. How Sleep Works.
- Watson NF, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2015;11(6):591–592. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4758.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep.
When to seek help
Talk to a doctor if you:
- regularly take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or wake in the night and can’t get back to sleep;
- snore loudly, or someone notices you gasp or stop breathing while asleep;
- feel very sleepy during the day, especially while driving or working, despite enough time in bed.