The best time to wake up according to science

We know we need to sleep well, but when is the best time to wake up?

Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises healthy adults to receive at least seven hours of sleep every night to be in the best health, so when should they wake up?

The best time to wake up

It is best to wake up when there is still light outside so that you can feel the morning sun on your skin.

Pratik Gopani, a SRV Hospital consultant says that the best time to get up is between 6 and 8 a.m. because it corresponds with your body's natural sleep-wake cycles, exposes you to sunshine, and increases your melatonin production.

The best time to wake up also depends on your schedule and responsibilities. Although everyone has a distinct sleep personality, the best time to wake up is when you can get enough sleep consistently and still spend the morning in the sun, says Daniel Barone, neurologist and associate director of the Weill Cornell Centre for Sleep Medicine.

Your ideal wake-up time should be seven hours after bedtime to meet your schedule and obtain as much rest as possible. Pick a sustainable time and stick to it every day. Unless you work differently on the weekends or throughout the week, your wake-up time shouldn't fluctuate.

Should you wake up very early in the morning?

We are often advised to wake up early so we can synchronise the circadian rhythm of the body with the natural cycles of day and night. A person's body and brain find it easier to get up and fall asleep at night, the earlier they wake up and the more morning light they are exposed to. But not everyone benefits from rising early; this is especially true for those who require more hours of sleep and go to bed later at night for many reasons.

Notwithstanding the health advantages of exercise, you should also avoid sacrificing sleep in favour of an early workout session. It's far more important to get adequate, good-quality sleep than it is to wake up early.

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You don’t need that many alarm clocks to wake up

It’s bad to have alarms wake you up at intervals and then go back to sleep. Snoozing—waking up and going back to bed for a few minutes—releases serotonin, and it's a very pleasant sensation to go back to sleep. The issue is that the brain releases a complex cascade of neurotransmitters during the waking process. That is being disrupted by waking up and falling back asleep. People may experience increased fatigue and fogginess during the day as a result of this cognitive confusion.