What time should you go to bed?
Experts suggest that maintaining a consistent wake-up time is more important for sleep health than focusing on a specific bedtime. By working backward from a set wake-up time and listening to natural cues of tiredness, individuals can improve their sleep quality.
Why it matters
Sleep hygiene is a critical component of public health, and shifting focus from rigid bedtimes to consistent routines can help combat widespread sleep deprivation.
Consistency is the key
First of all, contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t be thinking about what time you should go to sleep. You should be thinking about what time you’re going to get up. Dr Neil Stanley is an independent sleep expert with over 44 years of experience, and the author of the books, ‘How to Sleep Well’ and ‘A Sleep Divorce: How to Sleep Apart, Not Fall Apart’. He explains, ‘one of the key and most powerful pieces of advice I can give is to keep a consistent wake up time, 365 days a year. You do have a bit of leeway and can plus or minus an hour as needed. If you don’t have a constant wake up time and just get up randomly it’s harder for your brain to adjust and know what’s going on with its sleep patterns.’
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