What time do you go to sleep?

Read 325 answers below or select another question.

Julien Smith · CEO of Practice, Author

I naturally go to bed at around 10:00pm. If I’m in bed without a phone, I go to sleep very easily while reading. I may wake up in the middle of the night, at which point I’m reading on Kindle again to keep my mind away from work stresses until I naturally fall asleep again.

John Zeratsky · Author, Designer

Around 10:00pm. This also changes with the seasons, like my wakeup time. I go to bed a little later in the summer and a little earlier in the winter.

Kate Nafisi · Designer, Finisher

At 9:00pm I stop whatever I’m doing, whether I’m working in the workshop, eating dinner, or hanging out with friends. (I’m like Cinderella at midnight… but at 9:00pm.) At 10:00pm the lights are out, and I’m in bed with my eyes closed.

Most of my life I was a night owl, so it surprised me that I could change. Now I like to “sleep early, rise early” like the birds do.

Abi and I try to maximize our relaxation time together before bed as much as possible, because it’s so good to have a long laugh before you sleep. Sometimes Abi and I are so excited by a new commission that we can’t stop talking pillow to pillow in the dark, but we try not to push it later than 11:00pm. We love what we do, and so work feels more like playtime.

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Wilf Richards · Coop Co-Founder

I have an alarm set for 9:00pm to get myself ready for bed, and another alarm set for 9:30 to get into bed. Usually, a bit of reading and then lights out by 10:00pm is ideal.

I aim to get 10 hours in bed every night, and within that eight hours of sleep. So being in bed between 9:30pm and 7:30am is amazing and fully recharges me for the day. No afternoon naps are required. It has always taken me a while to get to sleep, so a long time ago I started listening to radio comedy (I always look forward to anything by John Finnemore) or audio stories in bed to get me to sleep. The most important characteristic of something I listen to before going to bed is that it must be something that I have listened to before, but that my brain will still enjoy listening to one more time.

Josh Gross · Founding Partner at Planetary

Midnight. It’s terrible. I really should go to bed a bit earlier because I typically wake up feeling a bit tired, but I have trouble convincing myself to go to bed sooner. Really, I’ve tried.

Paul Murphy · Third Grade Teacher

I love the night life. I got to boogie. Well, not so much boogie, but I do like staying up late and sitting on things.

When I’m being productive, I stay up too late reading and writing. Teacher Habits requires a fair amount of effort, and I write books for teachers. Those keep me busy, and I tend to be at my most creative late at night. When I’m not productive, I squander time staring at my phone and getting angry at idiots on Twitter or Facebook. Or I sit in the basement and watch Netflix or YouTube on the big screen. I’m usually in bed between 11:00pm and midnight.

Denise Lee · Founder of Alala

If I am in a good flow where I’m consciously protecting my time, I go to sleep at 10:00pm and wake up at 6:00am. Of course, there are some days where this doesn’t happen, but I try to get into bed before midnight every night.

Rick Smith · Founder and CEO, Axon

I usually fall asleep between 10:30 and 11:30pm. I’m not super dogmatic about my schedule. It’s more important that I spend time with my kids, tuck them into bed, and spend some quality time with my wife before settling in.

Hayley Leibson · Serial Entrepreneur

I try to go to sleep by 11:00pm. Over the past two years, I’ve found what really helps my sleep quality is to stop using my phone and laptop at least an hour before going to sleep.

I try to read a book for an hour before going to sleep. I used to only read non-fiction, but now I’m incorporating more fiction into my reading list. I love using Goodreads to find new books recommended by friends. I also subscribe to Scribd, a digital library, ebook, and audiobook subscription service with over a million titles. I’m currently reading Educated by Tara Westover for my friend’s book club next week, The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, and Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility by Patty McCord.

Sam Crawford · Blogger, The Man Blueprint

I try to get to bed before 10:00pm each night, which I’m usually pretty good about. I can’t remember the last time I went to bed past midnight except for the odd night out.

I’ve found that when I go to bed on the same day I wake up, I’m asking for trouble.

Gideon Akande · Celebrity Fitness Trainer

There are always obstacles in getting to bed (catching up with my girlfriend after a long day, unwinding while watching a sports game, reviewing text messages and emails), but my goal is to get to bed by 10:00pm.

Being an entrepreneur, I rarely have “down-time”—I’m usually putting out fires or working on goal-specific tasks longer than I’d like to be, but I still realize how important rest is. On average, I make my 10:00pm bedtime 75 percent of the time.

Mara Schiavocampo · Emmy Award-Winning Journalist

Generally, I go to sleep around 11:00pm, which is part of what makes waking up so difficult. If I went to bed at 9:30pm, I’d be much better off. There’s no good reason for me to be up. I just have trouble going to sleep early because I have lots of energy at night.

Lauren Berger · Founder of Intern Queen

Pretty late—I’m a night owl. Usually between 11:30pm and 1:00am. I’ve always been a night owl and done pretty well on 5-7 hours of sleep per night. But I try to catch up on sleep over the weekends either by sleeping in or by taking naps.

Sabrina Zohar · Co-Founder of Softwear

I try to get to bed by midnight, but these days it’s inching closer to 1:00am. Sleep means the world to me, but often I go down the rabbit hole and work through dinner and well into the evening. I like to “unwind” from work prior to going to bed, so I usually spend thirty minutes reading or watching mindless TV to take my mind off things and get ready to hit the hay.

Tara Hanrahan · Corporate Spa Director

I don’t have a specific time, but for the past year I’ve averaged seven hours of sleep a night (thank you Fitbit for measuring that!), so it would be around 10:00pm that I go to sleep.

Jules Clancy · Cookbook Author

I have a reminder set to shower at 9:20pm, and I aim to be asleep before 10:00pm. I’ve been experimenting with reducing the amount of time I spend in bed, and it’s really helped with my sleep problems.

Robert Greene · Author

Before the stroke I would go to bed at around 11:00pm, sometimes a little bit later. Since the stroke I’ve found myself getting tired earlier and I’ve gotten into the habit of going to bed at around 10:30pm or so.

Jeremy Anderberg · Editor and Podcast Producer

My wife and I, as a rule, go to bed at the same time. It’s a rule that’s been broken just a handful of times in seven years, and I think it’s a great rule for couples. Since we’re up so early, and we’re cognizant of our sleep needs, we’re in bed at 9:00pm to read or chat for fifteen-twenty minutes, and then lights out. Our recent purchase of a sound machine has made our sleep far deeper; it’s been a pretty amazing difference actually.

Dempsey Marks · Personal Trainer

I try to be in bed by 10:30pm every night. Obviously some nights I stay up a bit later, but I’ve realized that there isn’t really a point to staying up for the sake of staying up (which I used to do a lot). I’d rather go to bed early and feel fresh in the morning than stay awake until 1:00am.

Zara Terez Tisch · Co-Founder of Terez

One of my favorite things to do is watch television, movies, etc. It’s how I turn my brain off. My favorite show of all time is Sons of Anarchy, like I wish I was in an “MC.” For my thirtieth birthday, David got me my own cut so I could feel like I was a part of the crew. Even though that’s my favorite show, typically my favorites consist of historical European time periods with or without fantasy—everything from The Tudors to Game of Thrones.

So, I will hopefully get in bed at around 10:00pm, but not fall asleep until about 12:30am.

Susan Lin · Lead Product Designer, Cloudflare

In theory, between 10:00 and 11:00pm. In reality, anywhere between 11:00pm and 1:00am. I feel guilty about it, though. I once stayed up until 2:00am to finish an enthralling book. Reading fiction before bed is not a great idea when you can’t stop.

Danette May · Health and Mindfulness Expert

My body typically starts to wind down around 8:30pm, and that’s when I’m ready to light a few candles, do some stretching, tuck my girls into bed, and relax. By 9:30 or 10:00pm, I’m usually sound asleep.

Jamie Melzer · Fruit Jerky Entrepreneur

My bedtime is 10:00pm on Sunday through Thursday, but my bedtime routine starts at 8:15pm, after I put my daughter down for the night. I have an evening skincare routine that I adopted from a spa in Naples while on vacation that makes me feel like I’ve had a mini facial every night (and supposedly helps with anti-aging… but check back with me in five years).

I’ll then crawl into bed and spend fifteen minutes checking email and responding to any work-related social media. I could literally spend the next two hours scrolling through Instagram, so I have a hard stop at 9:00pm. I spend the next hour reading and/or watching Netflix; not staring at a phone or computer screen helps me decompress before bed. At 10:00pm the lights are off and I’m asleep within ten minutes.

Suzanne Gibbs Howard · Dean of IDEO U

Sometime between 11:00pm and midnight. My days are hectic straight through until my daughter goes to sleep and I wrap up any work. I need a little time to relax and wind down in the evening before trying to sleep. This might be a glass of wine, spending time with my husband, or even going out for a weeknight social event with friends.

John Jantsch · Small Business Marketing Consultant

Always before 10:00pm, often between 9:00-9:30pm. Early in my entrepreneurial journey I would work at night after the kids went to bed. Now I read and relax a lot more. As I’ve gotten older I don’t plan much that keeps me up or out.

Jake Knapp · Productivity Author

I usually start going to bed at 11:00pm. Sometimes I stay up a little later. If I’m up past midnight, there’s trouble for me the next day.

Ashley Eckstein · Actress, Fangirl Trendsetter

This varies, but in a perfect world, I would get to bed no later than 10:00pm. Unfortunately, it’s usually closer to 11:00pm. I’m constantly traveling, so my bedtime is constantly changing. I’m always on airplanes, so thank goodness I can sleep on planes! I’m really good at it, actually! I make sure to get a window seat and bring a full-size pillow, blanket, and scarf. Then I practically wrap myself up in a cocoon, and I’m usually asleep before take-off.

Ashley Turchin · Co-Founder of ANTHOM

My friends and family always joke that I’m an Energizer Bunny that gets unplugged at 10:00pm. I’m going, going, going, and then, BAM, Ashley’s done! In general, I try to be in bed by 10:30 and asleep by 11:00.

Ainsley Earhardt · Co-Host of Fox & Friends

I try to go to bed around 9:00pm… but that never happens. My daughter likes to stay up as late as possible—she gets that from me. I’m a night owl and I love alone time when the house is finally quiet.

However, sometimes Hayden fights going to sleep. Her bedtime is between 7:30-8:00pm. We brush her teeth, pick out books to read, and say prayers. We thank God every night for all the people we love, and I pray specifically about her future, friends, teachers, that she comes to know the Lord at an early age, and even her husband and their (God-willing) many children. It’s my favorite time of the day. But then she fights going to sleep. She is smart and tries to negotiate for one more book or song. When she was a newborn baby, I played Elvis’ Can’t Help Falling in Love every night. I would hold her with her head on my shoulder and dance slowly around the room. Well, now she wants to listen to it every night, except she insists on watching Elvis perform the song on stage (on YouTube). She tries to coerce me into letting her watch it, and it’s hard to say no, considering that it reminds me of her first few weeks of life (what a precious time).

Des Traynor · Co-Founder of Intercom

At 11:45pm, with a good consistency. It’s the “bedtime” setting on my phone. The only exceptions would be nights out, when it’s anyone’s guess when I end up in bed.

Mitch Joel · Founder of Six Pixels Group

We put the kids down, and then I just hang out in bed doing things on the computer, whether it’s Netflix, YouTube, or writing. On a typical night I fall asleep somewhere between 10:00 and 11:00pm.

Ali Bonar · Co-Founder of Kween

My party-girl college-self is rolling over in her grave—I’m so boring now. Since I’m up so early, I go to sleep no later than 10:30 or 11:00pm. Yes, I’m serious.

Benjamin Hardy · Author, PhD candidate

Short answer, when my wife lets me. I like sleeping from 9:00pm to 5:00am, but my wife likes 10:30pm to 6:00am. So we go to bed sometime between 9:00 and 10:30pm. Our kids sleep a solid 10-12 hours with the oldest going to bed at 7:00pm on nights he doesn’t have sports. This has been both healthy for the kids and healthy for us as we have time to unwind before our own early bedtime.

Derik Mills · Founder, CEO of YogaGlo

My wife and I aim to be in bed between 9:30-9:45pm. I find that sleeping during the hours between 10:00pm and midnight is more rejuvenating than getting extra hours of sleep in the morning. Ideally, I sleep from 10:00pm to 6:00am. That seems to be what my body needs. But it’s not uncommon that something for work keeps me from getting to bed until closer to the 11:00pm-midnight range.

Eliza Blank · Founder, CEO of The Sill

Hopefully by 11:00pm. And quite honestly, when I have the opportunity to go to bed earlier, I take it every time. I have no problem getting into bed at 9:30pm. I’ve never been a night owl. I always get too tired!

Julie Zhuo · VP of Product Design, Facebook

I try to have my head hit the pillow at 11:00pm. I don’t always succeed—I’m a bit of a night owl, so I have a lot of energy at night, and often when I’m doing something I just want to keep doing it.

Sometimes I like to read books and do a lot of stuff at night, so I feel like my body resists going to bed. I do very much try to go to sleep at 11:00pm, but this realistically happens between 11:00 and 11:30pm.

Brent Gleeson · Navy SEAL Veteran

As much as I would like to maintain a rigid sleep schedule, it is difficult while traveling. When I am at home, I try to be in bed by 9:00pm. I know—it’s not very cool, but that’s when my wife and I can have uninterrupted time to read, watch TV, or catch up. I’m asleep by 10:00pm. When traveling, I try to maintain a similar schedule as I navigate multiple time zones.

Grant Faulkner · Executive Director of NaNoWriMo

Last summer, I went back to Iowa, where I grew up, and when I returned to Berkeley, I told my wife (Heather Mackey, who is also a writer) that I was going to stay on Midwestern (Central) Time. So nowadays I go to bed at 9:00 or 10:00pm (and even sometimes at 8:30pm on days when I wake up super early). I’m so exhausted and unproductive at night that I figure I might as well use that time to sleep so that I can maximize the time I have in the morning for my most creative energy.

Melanie Deziel · Branded-Content Strategist

I could be better about creating a more predictable bedtime, but I’m usually in bed around 11:00pm, and almost never after midnight. I really try to listen to my body and go to sleep when I feel tired, so if I’m staying up later than 11:00, it’s because I’m feeling energized and on a roll with something I’m working on. As soon as I start to feel tired, I start getting ready for bed.

I don’t do well when I don’t get good sleep. I feel foggy, and honestly, a little grumpy. So getting to sleep at a good hour is important for me. Knowing I’m getting up around 7:15am, I try to make sure I’m going to get at least seven hours, but I often shoot for eight.

Bob Guest · Entrepreneur, Bike Rider

Depends on who you ask… My wife would say I’m in bed by 8:00pm every night. I guess there are nights when it’s true that I’m happy to get in bed at 8:30pm with a book and fall asleep. But I’d say my more normal bedtime is around 9:30pm. On Monday nights, when I know I’m waking up at 4:45am, I might say goodnight early. On Wednesday nights, when I have my chorus practice, I don’t get to bed until almost 11:00pm (that’s a long day).

Of course, much of my morning routine depends on what happens the night before: how late I stayed up, what I was doing, how much I drank, how I slept, etc. When I need to switch things up in the morning because of any given factor, I allow myself to do that.

Jing Wei · Illustrator

I often have a hard time falling asleep, so I usually go to bed around 12:30am and expect to fall asleep around 1:00-1:30am.

Onicia Muller · Writer and Comedian

No matter what time I go to bed, my brain turns on around 6:00am. The only question is whether or not I’m functional when that happens. I try to go to sleep between 9:00-9:30pm. I can pull off going to bed at 10:30pm for at most three nights a week before I become useless in the morning. I don’t drink coffee or energy drinks, so going to bed at 11:00pm or later always ends in disaster.

Lindsay Champion · YA Author

On a good night, 10:30pm. On a not-so-good night (read: at least half the time, who am I kidding?), somewhere between 11:00pm and midnight. I can feel normal on anywhere between six and eight hours, but I try to get at least seven as often as I can.

Hilary Matheson · Ultrarunner, Climber

I try to get at least seven and a half hours of sleep a night, which means I’m in bed with the lights out by 11:30pm. When I need to be up earlier, I work backwards with my bedtime so that I consistently keep those seven and a half hours reserved for sleep.

Jason Vo · Publisher

It fluctuates. I make an effort to be in bed by 10:30pm, but that doesn’t always work out too well. Sometimes I succeed, but most of the time I’m asleep by 12:00am or 12:30am. I wish I were as disciplined about going to bed as I am about waking up by 6:30am. On average, I’d say I get about 6-7 hours of sleep each night, which I guess is still good.

Christina Wayne · CEO of Assembly Entertainment

I try to go to bed by 10:00pm each night. I feel like crap if I go to bed any later. Realistically, I go to sleep more often by 10:30pm because I get sucked into returning emails for work or reading about something on Facebook or re-writing these answers for you.

Josh Haynam · Co-Founder of Interact

Nine o’clock at night, unless I’m attending an event that goes later. I’m basically a forty-seven-year-old living in a twenty-five-year-old’s body.

Dr. Roshini Raj · Gastroenterologist, Internist

I try to go to bed by 10:00pm at the latest. I take at least half an hour to wind down with no electronics before bed. I love mystery novels and find it soothing to read for a bit before going to sleep.

Carolyn Feinstein · CMO, Dropbox

I try to go to sleep by 11:00pm, but it’s often a lot later. I’ve found that as my kids’ bedtimes have gotten later, mine has too.

Drew Logan · Fitness Expert, Trainer

I shut everything down at 9:00pm and start making my way through my nighttime routine. I’m in bed by 9:45pm at the latest, and sound asleep by 9:50!

Melanie Travis · CEO, Andie Swim

I try to be in bed by 11:00pm. I need a full eight hours to be totally functional. But I grew up in New York, and my wife and I both have vibrant social lives, so all too often we’re on the subway at midnight coming home from something and dreading the morning alarm.

Todd Davis · Executive Vice President, FranklinCovey

I’m fortunate in that I don’t require a lot of sleep. Six hours seems to work well for me. So, I watch my late-night talk shows for a few laughs, go to bed around midnight, and wake up at 6:00am (well, 5:58am, to be exact).

Gail Saltz · Psychiatrist, Author

Most nights I’m in bed around 10:00pm, chatting with my husband and maybe watching some comedy, which we enjoy. It is lights out anywhere from 10:30pm to 11:00pm. My husband gets up at around 5:30am to get to work at his hospital, so we both prefer to go to bed early enough to get a good night’s sleep.

Sean Conlon · Real Estate Entrepreneur

Usually around half-past midnight, if I’m lucky! Because I’m constantly traveling and always on the go, I often find myself too busy working to go to bed any earlier.

Matthew Weatherley-White · Managing Director, The CAPROCK Group

The flipside to being a morning person is that I am usually asleep before 10:30pm. Strangely, I have no problem staying awake, which could be an after-effect of adventure racing and mountaineering (my soldier friends have the same capacity). But I prefer to sleep before I am groggy with need, so an early-ish bedtime is definitely preferred.

Rick Popowitz · Serial Health Entrepreneur

Between 10:00pm and midnight depending on if I am binge-watching a series on Amazon Prime or Netflix. At the same time I am also scanning about fifty curated sites on Flipboard for articles to give me ideas for new products and businesses or to get a sense of how the public may feel about one issue or another. Articles that I find useful professionally are then emailed to a team of people I rely on around the world to get them thinking. I also use Flipboard to stay abreast of subject matter that personally interests me.

I end the day in much the same way as I started. I use the Echo Dot to go to sleep with a playlist of either classical or new age bedtime music.

Starting and ending the day with an Echo Dot shows that we actually live in a circular fashion. This is the lesson for me: there is no separation in life, only twists and turns that eventually all lead back to the continuum of the circle.

Kristen Ulmer · Fear Specialist

Around 11:00pm. My husband likes to go bed earlier, so I usually snuggle with him in our big fancy bed, kiss him goodnight, and then an hour later go to sleep in the other room - the one painted purple to make me happy.

Jenny Blake · Author, Career/Business Strategist

If left to my own devices, I love going to bed as early as 8:30pm, which most of my friends make fun of me for. I’m the opposite of a vampire. If I go out to an event or dinner with friends, I’m usually asleep by 10 or 11:00pm. I look forward to quiet mornings so much, before the rest of the world is awake, that I really prioritize what time I go to sleep. I don’t have FOMO for nighttime parties, I have it for the glorious mornings I might miss out on if I stay up too late.

I find that at night I’m usually just watching TV if I stay up late, which is not worth the tradeoff. I far prefer to sleep, followed by feeling alert and rested in the morning during my reading and meditation. Starting off that way improves the whole tone of the day!

Tammy Strobel · Writer, Photographer

Typically, I go to sleep between 8:30 and 9:00pm. I love reading before I go to bed. Snuggling under the covers with my cats and a good book is the best feeling.

Jillian Michaels · Health, Wellness, Fitness Expert

Usually around 11:00pm. My kids go to bed at 8:00pm. I then spend time with my partner, Heidi; finish off whatever work is left from the day that didn’t get done; watch one show; and listen to a book or podcast to fall asleep.

Ravi Raman · Executive Career Coach

The key to waking up early in the morning is going to bed early in the evening! During the winter, I’m in bed by 8:30pm and I fall asleep by 9:00pm. During the summer, with more hours of daylight, I tend to be in bed by 9:30pm and asleep by 10:00pm.

Mick Batyske · DJ, Parent

I try to go to bed around 11:00pm or 12:00am. If I can lie down in bed with a book at 10:00pm, I’m the happiest person ever.

Nick Tasler · Organizational Psychologist, Columnist

I go to sleep at 9:00pm almost every night of the week. Even on those weekend nights when we happen to be at a fiesta, or when I’m with friends that I haven’t seen for a while and I really want to get after it like we did in the Glory Days… yeah, no. Doesn’t happen. I turn into a pumpkin by 10:00pm at the absolute latest. No exceptions.

Jenna Tanenbaum · Founder, GreenBlender

I know what you’re thinking - I’m not a morning person because I go to sleep late. Not true. I am a sleepaholic and like to get between 8-10 hours of sleep every night. That means I am typically in bed by 10:30pm.

Mike Vardy · Founder of Productivityist

I am a night owl, so my bedtime is usually around 1:00am. I want to get in at least 4 full sleep cycles in so if I don’t go to bed by that time then I won’t be able to function the next day.

Leen Al Zaben · Writer, Food Stylist, Photographer

I want to say 10:00pm, but that never happens. I like to take some quiet time to read or write in my journal before going to sleep. I find that it’s a good way to disconnect from my day and get a good night’s sleep.

Nikki Pechet · VP of Marketing, Thumbtack

It varies. I am a huge believer in sleep being an essential ingredient to happiness and health, but I have to be realistic about when I get it. I limit myself to two late bedtimes a week, where I may not get to sleep until midnight. I counterbalance that with two nights a week where I go to bed by around 9:00pm (I always try for 8:00pm, but it doesn’t happen), and then aim for 10:00pm other nights.

Stephanie Lee · Writer for Lifehacker, Men’s Health

The frequency of my travels messes up my sleep schedule, so it depends.

I usually go to bed between 11:00pm and 1:00am, but I strive to be in bed before midnight. I’ve discovered that my sleep pattern is really subject to the environment and its pacing. In Tokyo and Hong Kong, where there was hardly a difference between 6:00pm and midnight, I picked up night owl habits just because everyone else seemed to be up late at night. When I was in Boise, Idaho, and the North Shore of O’ahu, I automatically went to bed around 10:00pm.

Zane Bevan · Creative Director at Robinhood

This varies drastically. When I’m lucky, I’m asleep by midnight. On the not so lucky ones, I’m still wide awake at 3:00am.

Usually if this happens I head into the living room and pull out my sketchbook. I find that if I can work out the ideas that are keeping me up, I can convince myself to stop thinking about it and fall asleep. To be honest, most ideas that keep me up aren’t worth revisiting in the light of day.

Amanda Hesser · Co-Founder and CEO of Food52

I used to be such a night owl and wouldn’t become productive until about 11:00pm, after which I would happily work until 2:00am. That made for some very rough mornings and mid-afternoon productivity dips.

About three years ago this changed suddenly and drastically. I found myself much less resilient without a good night’s sleep and I simply got tired earlier. At first I thought I was dying, of course, but over time I’ve come to appreciate my new internal clock. It’s actually forced me into a much healthier sleep pattern. Now I’m in bed by 10-10:30pm and asleep by 11:00.

Merrill Stubbs · Co-Founder and President of Food52

Most nights I’m in bed around 10:30pm. I answer emails, catch up on news and social media, and maybe read a few pages of my book before turning off my light around 11:30pm.

If I’m very tired I may go to sleep a little earlier; on nights when I’m behind on work and/or life it can be much later; closer to 1:00am.

Christine Koh · Lifestyle Expert, Parent

I love sleeping. I don’t believe anyone who says they only need four hours of sleep! I try to get in bed by 10:00pm. I love getting eight hours a night, but when possible, I love getting nine hours a night even more!

Sahara Rose · Holistic and Ayurvedic Nutritionist

I’m currently writing my second book, The Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda, and my creative juices really start flowing once the sun has set, so I’ve been sleeping quite late recently but normally I try to sleep by midnight.

Terri Schneider · Endurance Athlete, Author

On a usual day, after stretching, I get in bed between 8:30 and 9:30pm. I will then read or watch a Netflix/Hulu option on my iPad until I get sleepy. When I start to get sleepy I turn it all off and sleep.

I am a classic early-to-bed, early-to-rise person, and my patterns are affected by the sunrise and sunset, which I enjoy because it feels primal and natural.

Emily White · Founding Partner at Collective Entertainment

During peak business weeks I often go to sleep between 6:00-9:00pm. I know this is insane, but waking between 3:00-6:00am allows me to work on projects in the still of the morning without interruption. I highly recommend it for focusing on certain projects for a set amount of time.

Erin Loechner · Author, Parent

The second my littles are in bed, I follow. This is usually somewhere between 7:00 and 8:30pm, hopefully! I’m definitely an early-to-bed type.

Guy Tal · Landscape and Nature Photographer

Most nights I’ll go to bed early (9-10:00pm), knowing that I am a very light sleeper and will likely wake up multiple times during the night. I’m also prone to episodes of insomnia and on some days I may not go to sleep at all.

Mauricio F. Corridan · Photographer

I usually go to sleep between 12:00 and 1:00am, but sometimes I stay up a little later working or planning upcoming projects.

I used to be a night owl and would spend late nights editing pictures; now I prefer doing this early in the morning, but depending on my week and schedule, I will edit in either the mornings or the evenings.

Vanessa Garcia · Multidisciplinary Artist

I try to go to sleep by 11:00pm, but this really doesn’t happen very often. The reality is that I’m usually asleep by midnight, staying up a little later some nights than others.

Danny Gregory · Artist, Author

I go to bed around 10-10:30pm. Then I read for half an hour.

I fall asleep almost immediately but I’m not a great sleeper and at least once a week I wake up at 3:30am or so and can’t get back to sleep. I usually read my Kindle which has a soft glow and won’t disturb my wife. Sometimes, I’ll wake up with an idea that keeps batting around my skull and I’ll get up and go out to sit at my desk and write it down. That usually gets it out of my head and quiets the voice. Most of the time, when I reread the idea in the morning, it’s crap.

Liesl Gibson · Pattern Designer

Never early enough. I try to get into bed by 11:00pm and do a little reading before going to sleep, but I’m really a night person so it’s easy to get wrapped up in something and forget to go to bed on time.

I tend to wake up really early in the morning (4:00am seems to be my spot), so I listen to a podcast or something to settle my brain and try to get back to sleep again. This restlessness means I need to be in bed for longer than eight hours if I’m going to get enough sleep!

Jon · Designer, Engineer, Adventurer

I’m in bed by 10:00pm most days. I read a book for a while and go to sleep around 11:00pm.

Backstory: I was a night owl for the longest time. Once I tried tracking “go to bed by midnight” on a habit tracking app and gave up because I never, ever managed to do it. I went to bed sometime between midnight and 4:00am for most of my twenties.

Lots of factors contributed to this: living in Europe (American internet was on fire when I was trying to get to bed); freelancing from home or coffee shops; and, honestly, having limited self control.

That said, I’ve observed the benefits of being a morning person for years, and I think I’m finally making it happen.

It’s easy to make bad decisions when we have low energy and rapidly decreasing willpower. I noticed that I tend to stay up all night doing nothing productive on the internet - if I’m on my laptop at 11:30pm, I’ll probably be on it until 2:30am. I fix this by using pretty aggressive content blocks on my laptop. I use the Mac app Focus and set it up to block anything vaguely related to social media, entertainment, or news from 10:00pm until 11:00am (and again at regular intervals during the day). It’s the only content blocker I’ve found that I can’t figure out how to disable; it’s awesome if you struggle with distraction on your computer.

I used to have Focus set until 11:00pm, but I found that even if I stopped using social media at that time, I’d be too tired to get ready for bed in a timely manner. (Ironic, huh?) 10:00pm makes more sense as my wind-down time. I keep Focus blocking distractions until 11:00am in the morning because that’s another low-willpower time of day for me; if I groggily start checking the internet in the morning, I set myself up for having a bad day.

On that note, I charge anything with an LCD screen in my living room overnight. The only device I allow myself to have in my bedroom is my Kindle. Even with Focus and f.lux on my Mac and phone, those devices are too distracting to let me get a good night’s sleep - I don’t want to be tempted to wake up in the middle of the night to see my notifications.

Laura Roeder · Founder of Edgar

Around 10:30pm. I have a no-tech-after-9:00pm rule, which forces me to use the time before bed to read and journal instead of staring at Facebook.

Victoria Durnak · Artist, Sculptor

9:00pm if I’m exhausted, but more often 11:00pm, as after 7:00pm (when my son falls asleep) is when I read, write, plan sculptures, and answer emails.

Isabel De Los Rios · Certified Nutritionist

I go to bed at 9:00pm sharp (or at least that is always the goal). I stay away from anything that may interfere with that bedtime. For example, if I am at a conference and someone schedules a dinner for 8:00pm, I will usually politely decline and try to schedule something with that person at a different time during the day.

It sounds very regimented, but my morning time is so precious to me that I really don’t let anything mess with it.

Sonia Rao · Singer-Songwriter

I’m usually in bed between 11:30pm and midnight.

There are exceptions, of course. I might go out with friends. I might have a show. After a show, I am too wired to fall asleep right away, so I’m up later on those nights. I like to read for a while before falling asleep. Actually, I don’t think I can fall asleep without reading. It’s tough for me to transition from being awake to sleeping without focusing my mind on another story.

Jess Weiner · Social Entrepreneur

By 9:00 or 9:30pm. Of course, we have our binge-worthy shows to take in (House of Cards, Bloodline), and if they aren’t on I’ll check into pop-culture happenings and business news - everything from Forbes to Fast Company, and HelloGiggles for the feel-good stuff. ​ ​ If I’m really diligent, I’ll read a book before bed. I just devoured Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert; it was deliciously inspiring for the creative and consulting work I do!

Arvell Craig · Coach, Strategist

I head to bed between 10-11:00pm (occasionally later). However, I am looking into how I can start getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I may need to look into shorter versions of my morning in order to find the time. Any suggestions?

Katelin Jabbari · Googler, Parent

My goal is to go to sleep by 9:30pm, but I don’t think that’s ever happened. Instead, I usually start getting ready for bed around 9:15pm, am actually in bed by 9:45pm, read for a bit, and then turn off the lights between 10-10:30pm.

Taylor Davidson · Entrepreneur, Photographer

This year, my goal is to turn the computer off at 11:00pm. I’m not always successful because I find that I often need 3-4 hours of undistracted, focused time to work on building financial models, write articles, or really think and work through problems in my mind; often, that time is only available late in the evening. I try to limit those late evenings to a couple times a week, but my continual goal is to shift those late evenings to the early mornings.

Ann Handley · Author, CCO of MarketingProfs

I fight bedtime like a toddler. I try for 10:00pm. I usually drag myself to bed somewhere around 11:00pm, after making various bribes and allowing myself umpteen glasses of water and another chapter of the book I’m reading.

Craig Ballantyne · Author, Fitness Expert

8:00pm. And I’ve learned to fall asleep quickly wearing an eye mask and earplugs.

I’ve shifted my schedule to make it most conducive to my goals and well-being. Everyone who wants to can get to bed and get up a little bit earlier. After all, there was probably a time in college when you slept in late, and somehow you managed to survive the transition to getting up earlier once you got your first job in the “real world.” If you want to get up earlier, it just requires planning and preparation.

Staying up late seems cool, but if it’s not working for your goals, then you have to draw a line, hunker down, and make an important lifestyle change.

If you’re a writer or an artist and worry that you won’t be as creative, that’s unfounded. You can still be creative early in the day.

There are just as many great authors, artists, and even architects that worked early in the morning (Beethoven, Van Gogh, Hemingway, Maya Angelou, Frank Lloyd Wright, etc.) as there were famous night owls. Two authors who switched from a night owl schedule to writing in the morning are Toni Morrison and Neil Strauss.

If Stephen King can get up and write horror novels in the morning (he works from 9:00am to 1:00pm), then we can get up early and write every morning, too.

Dustin Senos · Designer and Engineer

For most of my life I didn’t realize the importance of sleep. You’re always told you need to get eight hours of sleep, but I think I was too young to feel the effect of a lack of sleep.

I was once told that tiredness comes in forty-five minute cycles. The first cycle is feeling tired followed by forty-five minutes of feeling awake. This cycle repeats until you are unable to stay awake.

If you can get to bed during the tired cycle, you’ll fall asleep quicker. Most nights, if I’m paying attention to my body, I start to feel tired around 9:30pm. Because of this I’m often in bed by 9:45-10:00pm.

David Moore · Designer

I go to bed much later than most would say I should (I’m looking at you Dr. Oz).

I feel as a designer we’re kind of a slave to our creativity, and my mind is always going a mile a minute, so I don’t have a set time. I would usually say I turn in around 11:00pm or midnight. However if there is a design challenge I’m trying to solve or an article I’m writing, which I’ve gotten into lately, then there is no hard set time, or I’m working through the night.

Steve Kamb · Founder of Nerd Fitness

I go to bed between 10 and 11:00pm most nights. If I go out and stay out late on a weekend, I still try to get up as early as possible and then take a nap later on that day to stay on routine.

Jeff Morris Jr. · Director of CRM and Engagement, Tinder

On weeknights, I try to fall asleep by 11:00pm.

I remember in film school when I thought it was cool to stay awake until like 3:00am working on random projects. I functioned on six hours of sleep for about five years. My body can’t do that anymore.

Morgan Jaldon · Marathon Runner

Because I wake up early, I do my best if I’m in bed by at least 8:00pm. I run often, so it’s ideal for my body to get eight hours of sleep. I’m not always that lucky though. When I have really late workouts, I’m in bed at 10:00pm, and only get six hours of sleep. But I still feel just as energized!

Rand Fishkin · Founder of Moz

Usually around 1-1:30am, but this can vary wildly as I travel to other time zones. European and Australian travel in particular can put me off schedule for days in a row.

Gregg Carey · Entrepreneur, Survivor Contestant

Typically, I go to bed around 11:00pm to midnight. In my ideal state, I would go to bed at 10:30pm and wake up at 6:00am to get 7.5 hours of sleep.

Lately, I have been prioritizing my sleep in favor of my routine. I’ve realized that sleeping longer will always be the most beneficial thing I can do for myself. In those cases, I will adjust my routine proportionally. I keep the components, but reduce the time.

Danielle Buonaiuto · Soprano

​Anywhere between 11:30pm and 1:30am, depending on how late the concert went the previous night, or how long ​it took me to get home from rehearsal in the far reaches of New Jersey.

Elizabeth Royal · Street Style, Fashion Photographer

I go to bed between 11:00pm and midnight. I have a “no screens after 11:00” rule, but I can do things around the house as late as I want if I’m not sleepy. Usually I end up in bed around 11:30ish and am asleep by midnight.

I actually have a thing on my internet that shuts down all non-essential websites between 11:00pm and 5:00am. I can still get to anything work related or that a client might need me to use, but it blocks time suck websites like Facebook, Reddit, YouTube, and things like that that might distract me from actually going to bed.

Johnny FD · Entrepreneur, Frequent Traveler

I go to bed at 10:30pm but I start winding down around 8:00pm, after dinner. It’s tempting to go out to bars and chase the night, but in reality, I noticed that we only do that when we’re lonely and want to be around others. It’s the reason why couples don’t stay late at bars or go to nightclubs, it’s not because they’re boring, it’s because they are fulfilled.

I used to think I’d be missing out on life if I went home before midnight, but now I realize how much life there is before 10:00am.


Crystal Paine · Author, Speaker

I’ve learned the hard way that it’s very important to prioritize sleep. I’ve found that I need at least a good seven hours of sleep to feel energetic and make the most of my day.

Since I aim to wake up at 5:30am each day, I usually try to have the lights off no later than 10:30pm each night. This means I need to start winding down by 9-9:30pm.

Wesley Verhoeve · Photographer

When I’m really on top of things, I try to do 10-10:30pm, ideally with twenty minutes of fiction reading, but it often ends up skewing later, especially when I travel, and I hit the 11:30-midnight mark.

Louisa Rogers · Business Trainer, Writer

Between 9:30 and 10:30pm, unless I’m having a bad sleep night.

I usually fall asleep cuddled up with Barry on the sofa, while he struggles with The New York Times crossword puzzle. Eventually I’ll head off to bed. Since our earliest days as a couple, we have always honored the idea of “a room of own’s own” for each of us. That “room” has been at different times and in different homes, an office, a nook, a desk, and currently (because our Eureka apartment is small) it takes the form not of space but of time. Just as I have my pre-dawn hours, Barry has his late-night hours.

Molli Sullivan · SoulCycle Instructor, Former Professional Dancer

Sleep is the most important ingredient when it comes to our wellness. We could have the best nutrition, the best job, a great workout routine, but without proper sleep we simply aren’t able to tap into our greatest potential.

When I was working in tech, I liked to think I could get by with about five, sometimes six hours of sleep per night. Now I aim for 7-8, and I do things like shut down my technology at 8:00pm, reach for a book instead of social media, and give my mind and body time to disconnect from a busy day.

Carrie Melissa Jones · Writer, Community Builder

I try to go to bed around 10:30pm, but sometimes I stay up writing until 2:00am. If I do, I just try to be forgiving. All the time, I forgive myself. Rigidity and self-punishment were always my motivators until I moved to Seattle. Now I often think of myself as a little kid. If I overslept, would I yell at me? No. I’d say, “Wow, you must have been tired, honey.” So I say that to myself now: “Wow, you must have been tired, honey. Tell me about it.”

Maybe I sound crazy, but I owe myself that kindness after not having it for so long.

Ash Huang · Writer, Designer, Illustrator

Anywhere between 11:00pm and 1:00am. My fiancé is a night owl, so sometimes it depends on when he gets home. I try to spend a few hours with him before I sleep.

Regardless, I’m pretty hell-bent on getting my eight hours, so if my bedtime moves, so does my wake-up time.

Aiste Gazdar · Co-Founder, Director of Wild Food Cafe

Oh this one is a good one and an absolutely essential part to a successful morning routine.

I do my absolute best to wrap up all work stuff by 8:00pm. Between 8:00pm and 9:00pm I wind down by either reading a book, meditating, or taking a bath. I then spend a few minutes giving thanks for the day and setting an intention for the following day.

Between 9:00pm and 10:00pm I am most likely in bed and asleep. It is important for me to get enough sleep, so I make sure I have at least 6-8 hours before I have to get up. Otherwise, the routine becomes unsustainable. I do find, however, that the earlier I go to bed (say, 9:00pm) the less sleep I need to feel amazing, vital, and rested.

Jessica Dang · Minimalist, Self-Declared Vagabond

I’m usually in bed by 10:00pm.

I like to read for about half an hour, then I set my alarm for the next day and fall asleep straight away. Some hacks I’ve discovered to fall asleep more quickly - use an eye mask, put a shallow pillow under your calves/ankles to align your legs and spine, and buy a comfortable mattress that suits your body and sleeping type. A good night’s sleep is priceless.

Laura Vanderkam · Author, Parent

When the baby was waking up at 3:30am, I went to bed at 10:00pm sharp. When he sleeps longer for a few days in a row, I let myself push that back to 10:30 or 11:00pm.

I’m not really a morning person, and I like having that quiet reading time before bed.

Wade Foster · Co-Founder, CEO of Zapier

I try and be in bed around 10:30pm with lights out around 11.

I definitely slow down if I don’t get a full night’s sleep. I generally try to steer clear of morning meetings because it allows me to sleep later if need be.

Hua Wang · Entrepreneur, Aspiring Cook

I try to go to sleep by 10:30pm. I rarely sacrifice sleep. Despite my efforts to thrive on less sleep, my body seems to need 8-9 hours a night. Without a good night’s sleep, my brain and body move at a slower pace.

Mattan Griffel · CEO of One Month, Forbes’ 30 Under 30

I usually end up in bed around 11:30pm, though the ideal time would be 10:30, and sometimes it’s as late as midnight. I try to get about seven hours of sleep a night, which it turns out is actually the ideal amount for most people. Any less and I can’t really function at full efficiency.

Belle Beth Cooper · Writer and Co-Founder of Exist

Exist tells me my average bedtime is 11:28pm. I used to go to sleep later on weekends before I moved in with my partner and co-founder, Josh. He’s a night owl while I’m a morning lark, so I used to line up with him when I stayed at his house on weekends. My weekend bedtime average is a whole hour later still, but I’m bringing it down these days as I have a more consistent bedtime every night.

Elle Luna · Artist, Designer, Writer

As early as I can!

I once heard a study a long time ago that I have no idea where it was done or if it was accurate, but I heard that men’s brains have been shown to be more active in the evening, whereas more women reportedly have higher brain activity in the morning.

Now, I’m not sure if that’s right, but it resonates with my process. I’m lightning fast in the morning and prioritize my toughest tasks for the morning, but after dinner when the sun goes down, my brain just slows down to a stop. It’s exhausting to do much mental heavy lifting after the sun goes down, so I enjoy going to bed early.

Grace Bonney · Founder of Design*Sponge

A perfect night would be 10:30pm lights out, but it’s usually closer to 11 or 11:30pm.

All the pets sleep on my side of the bed, so I typically wake up 3-4 times a night as they readjust and annoy each other. So getting as much sleep as possible is important. You never know when the cat is going to bite you out of nowhere and decide he wants your pillow.

Amber Rae · Writer, Artist

Typically by 2:00am, unless I’m falling asleep with words whispering in my ears. If that’s the case, I’ll grab pen and paper, and roll with it.

Ben Brooks · Tech Writer, iOS Project Manager

I typically hit the bed at about 11:00pm, much past that and I am asking for trouble the next day. Ideally I would make it to bed by 10:30pm, but my wife is a night owl so I try to spend more time with her.

Eli Trier · Illustrator, Writer

Again, it varies.

I have a fantasy I can fall asleep at 10:00pm every night like clockwork and wake up at dawn, but it never works out like that. Depending on what’s going on with my illness and energy levels, it can be anywhere between 9:00pm and 3:00am.

I’m a total night owl and sometimes get hit with a burst of energy at 11:00pm – I’ve learned never to waste energy when it arrives so I try to make the most of it when it’s there!

Chris Baker · Golf Player, Podcast Host

I like to turn the lights off by midnight.

I’ve just started using the Sleep Induction Mat by Dave Asprey as well. I was a little sceptical on this, but sliding it underneath me, half an hour before I sleep, I’ve never slept better.

The art of getting up is the art of going to sleep. They work hand in hand. The end of the day is equally as important as the beginning of the day. If you look at the likes of Ernest Hemingway, he would finish halfway through a sentence when he was writing at his best in the evenings, so that his flow and positive state of mind would continue into the next day.

Caroline Leon · Life Coach

Generally, I try to be in bed before 9:00pm, and ideally I’ll be asleep by 9:30pm if I’m to get my eight hours (and I do like my eight hours), but sometimes it slips to as late as 10:00pm (gasp!).

Tessa Miller · Tech and Health Editor, The Daily Beast

Usually around 11:30pm or midnight. If I’m really tired, 9:30 or 10:00pm. I used to be such a night owl – up until 2 or 3:00am every night, but I value sleep now more than ever. I’m usually editing copy pretty late though (writers are a bunch of night owls), so most nights it’s midnight.

Willem Vernooij · Writer, Student

It differs. As a student I have three types of evenings:

  1. I have nothing to do so I go to bed early. On these days my normal routine takes place.
  2. I have to work until late (I work in a bar/restaurant, so I’m not often out of there until 2:00am).
  3. I go out and get drunk; usually returning around 3-6:00am.

Dan · Parent, Founder

I try to aim for 11:00pm or earlier, but sometimes I get sucked back into twiddling about on the Mac and I don’t get to bed until gone midnight.

It’s a double-edged sword; while I get a lot done late at night, I always pay for it the next day as I often feel tired and grouchy. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realised how important sleep is. I now know how closely it’s linked to my health, mood, and general focus. Getting enough sleep is the best productivity hack I know.

Andy Hayes · Tea Seller, Creative Web Producer

I’m a night owl, but I try to read for an hour at the end of the day while drinking herbal tea, which gets me ready for bed.

I hit the hay at midnight whenever I can, so I can get eight hours of sleep.

Chase Night · YA Author, Reader

Too late! It drives Alex crazy, and we’re trying to correct it, but I’m such a natural night owl. I hate writing while the sun is still up.

David William · Collects Stories, Projects, and Life Experiences

My partner is a teacher, which means her days are spent wrangling twenty-seven little five year olds.

She is often early to bed, so I usually stay up and read, but I tend to be asleep around midnight. I’m hoping the next chapter of my life breaks back into the excitement, but until then I’ll get a lot of reading in.

Mars Dorian · Online Illustrator, Indie Sci-Fi Author

That ranges from season to season. In summertime, usually around 4 to 5:00am because I can’t work when the sun is shining outside. It’s too bright, noisy and distracting. In wintertime, I go to bed at 12 to 2:00am because I work during the day.

Ani · Lives in New York City

I like getting ready for bed (prepping everything) starting at 8:30pm, and climbing into bed around 9:00pm. I’ll usually start drifting off around 10:00pm.

Abby Stewart · Teacher, Writer, Fun-Raiser

Midnight, maybe a little before.

I usually have a pretty hard time falling asleep, so I take melatonin. Lying in bed is when my brain decides to get ALL the ideas, so I usually keep a notebook close by and am sometimes jotting things down until 1 or 2:00am.

Nova Rella · Early Riser, Lone Wolf

Early to bed, early to rise. I usually hit the hay around ten or eleven at night. I like to read for a bit before falling asleep so it’s usually closer to eleven.

Doug Belshaw · Parent, Non-Profit Web Literacy Lead

I’d like to go to sleep about 9:00pm, but a couple of things stop me doing that.

First, because I’m part of a geographically-distributed team I usually have work to do after I’ve put the kids to bed. Second, I like to watch something on Netflix with my wife before we go to bed. That usually means that 10:00pm is the earliest we’ll be in bed. And then, of course, I like to read.

So, I guess that 10:30-11:00pm is usual for me to go to sleep. Which explains why I’m often tired and need to exercise to keep my energy levels up.

Aoife Clerkin · Social Sector Enthusiast, Charity Engagement Manager

I’m almost always asleep by midnight. I love baths so whenever I have the chance I’ll have a bath before bed. I find that baths really help me to unwind and reflect on my day. I’ve been putting a drop of lavender on my pillow for as long as I can remember and I find it very soothing.

Bethany Dickey · Ambassador, Accounting Student

This varies depending on how good the book I’m reading is. I’m usually in bed around 10:30pm at the latest, and read until about 11:00. Some nights I’m up until 1:00am finishing a book – I just can’t help it.

Natalie Bidnick · Digital Strategist, Story Lover

I’m terrible at going to sleep on time. I typically aim for “before midnight,” but some nights it’s not until 2:00am… or later. Austin is a fun town, and there’s an endless array of activities to do.

Cat Noone · Web Designer, Entrepreneur

That all depends whether or not Ben and I stayed up late to catch up on our shows.

Typically, bed-time is anywhere between 11:30pm and 1:00am at the very latest. Since Dex joined the family, we lean toward the former — otherwise functioning at 6:00am is not a strong option.

Garrick van Buren · Father of Four, Product Strategist

My morning routine actually starts in the evening, with me going to sleep by 10:00pm.

For a long time I fought 10:00pm. Then I started to see how much happier, more refreshed, and productive early mornings are compare to late nights. Mornings are such an amazing reward for going to sleep at a reasonable hour.

Clare Herbert · Irish Freelance Writer

I aim to be in bed by 9 or 10:00pm, but I’m not maniacal about it. My social life is important to me too, so I’ll stay up late with friends and be tired the following day. I’ve never been able to nap, but some afternoons I’ll lie on my bed for an hour to re-boot my tired body.

Marjolein Verbeek · Project Manager, Business IT and Management Student

My evening routine is absolutely essential to the success of my morning routine.

I have an alarm set on my phone that goes off at 10:00pm. I then wrap up my work and shut down all screens, including my phone. I dim the lights and take my sleeping pills (I have had those since I was a little kid, apparently my body doesn’t know how to make melatonin very well). Afterwards I’ll make my lunch for the next day before brushing my teeth. Back in my room I start cleaning up, packing my bag for tomorrow, and laying out the clothes I want to wear. At around 10:45pm I have a clean room and an empty mind, and I’m ready to go to bed.

Because I do this, I feel well rested when I wake up in the morning. I feel the consequences of not following my evening routine immediately, it’s complete chaos. These routines seem inseparable to me. It almost feels like my sleep is part of a daily, twelve hour long routine.

Melissa Fergusson · Parent, Creative director, Actor

I’m generally a really busy, creative person with blogging, dinner, domestics, and work on my projects and studies taking up much of my evening each day after my day job, so sleep time is usually around 11:00pm to midnight daily.

Jered Benoit · Parent, Marathoner, CrossFit Coach

I try my best to get to bed by 9:00pm. If not, I have a really hard time getting up the next day.

The rub is my wife is a night owl, so she wants to stay up. Our lives are super busy, so I want to spend as much time as I can with her, which means there are plenty of days when I am up later than I should be.

Richard Wotton · Newly Qualified Media Studies Teacher

I aim for 10:30pm, but if I am realistic and truthful, it can sometimes stretch to midnight if I have a six period day the following day.

When I first started working in schools, I used to have a nap when coming home, however this kills any working buzz you may have and just leads you to not being able to sleep until much later. For energy levels, six to seven hours doesn’t sound healthy, but it’s better than a broken night sleep of four to five hours, plus an afternoon nap.

Natalie · Student, Morning Exercise Fanatic

I try to be in bed by 8:30-9:00pm so that I get plenty of sleep. I’ll usually do some reading or writing before falling asleep.

My night routine is a domino effect into my morning routine. If I don’t go to sleep early enough, I’ll be too tired to do much in the morning. Then my routine moves later into the day, forcing me to stay up late to complete unfinished tasks. It’s a vicious cycle!

Jane Reggievia Santoso · Writer, Coffee Drinker

I’m usually in bed by 10:00pm, reading books or articles, writing my diary (yes, I am almost twenty-two and still write a diary) and eventually turning off my gadgets.

I’ll normally be asleep by 11:00pm, sometimes midnight.

Caroline O’Shea · Flute Player, Vocalist in Traditional Irish Band

Bedtime depends on whether I have a gig or not. If I have no gigs or commitments, I’ll be in bed around 11:00pm. If I have a gig or am out playing at a session, then I’ll be in bed whenever I get home. Some Irish music festivals have you out until 7 or 8:00am playing and seeing friends, which is incredible but completely wrecks my sleep schedule!

I’ve always been a night owl and love staying out late, but when I do I need to be able to sleep in the next day. I run best on eight hours of sleep and passably on seven. Less than that and it’s game over.

Alicia Sully · Cinematographer, Documentary Photographer, Compact Editor

I can be fine on very little sleep. In fact, there was a time in my life, for a year, when I would be awake for two days and then sleep for twelve hours. I thought it was beneficial to have a longer day, you discover more when you aren’t interrupted by sleep.

Nowadays I don’t usually choose to sleep, I just get tired, and fall asleep whatever I’m doing. That said, when operating machinery it’s good to get at least six hours, so that’s a goal I loosely try to get if I’m shooting.

Emma Milligen · Animator, Art Geek, Vegan

I usually aim for 10:00pm on weekdays, but I am more likely to be in bed ready to hit the hay around 11:00pm.

I am so much more of a morning person than a night owl, it kind of sucks at times. My body thrives on about eight hours of sleep (which I am lucky to get), but will be fine with seven. Anything less, and I plummet before I even eat dinner!

Jared Taylor · Entrepreneur, Triathlete, Foodie

On week nights typically between 10 and 11:00pm. On weekends, generally by midnight depending on what I have going on the next morning, but a few times a month I’m not in bed until two or three ;)

María Ortega García · Spanish Tutor, Frequent Traveler

I am quite a night owl, so I won’t be able to sleep before midnight or 1:00am because that’s generally when I am more active and inspired. Don’t ask my brain for much activity in the morning, but it’s eager to do so from 8-9:00pm onwards.

I am all energy and activity in the evenings, ready to be productive. The ideas and inspiration keep coming even when I have turned off the light. It’s not unusual for me to have to note down some ideas that pop into my head when I am already eyes closed, ready to sleep. Notebook and iPad are always handy in case of the not so unusual awesome idea deciding to manifest itself in the middle of the night.

Julian Summerhayes · Parent, Speaker, Former Lawyer

Getting up early does occasionally come at a price. I find that after a few weeks of intense activity my normal bedtime of 11:00pm to midnight has to be supplemented with a few early nights or at lie until say, 7:00am. If not then I tend to feel like I’m sleepwalking.

Lauren McCabe · Writer, Mermaid

Ideally, I’m in bed by 9:00pm reading a magazine or book, and asleep by 10:00pm. I rarely ever stay up past eleven, a difficult feat in New Orleans, a city where the fun doesn’t begin until the late hours. But I persist!

Krista Goral · IT Consultant, Writer

It varies. I go to bed when I’m tired, which can be as early as 9:30pm or as late as 11:00pm. Suffice it to say, I’m not the life of the party on a Friday night.

Paul Farmiga · Marketer, CrossFit Enthusiast

These days, I like to be in bed as close to 10:00pm as possible, as my body requires the rest and ability to recover from the physical challenges it faces with CrossFit, while my mind requires the mental recuperation.

With that being said, I have zero issues staying up until 4-5:00am if the situation calls for it. Mind over matter, and I don’t mind. I sleep like a baby, and dream regularly, so why wouldn’t I try to get to that awesome land of nod sooner for my evening adventures to begin?

Richard Boehmcke · Writer, Stage Director

I try to turn the computer off at 10:00pm and the lights off at 11:00pm.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in a project I will just go until I run out of steam. I don’t agree with Stephen King (though I do love him) that you should always stop with a little gas left in the tank. If I’m working on something, especially something creative, I try to completely purge before going to sleep because I feel like it won’t be there when I wake up otherwise.

Tenikca Gainey · Vegetarian Naturalista, Writer

On a great night, I am asleep no later than 10:00pm. 11:00pm is late for me, and if I continue going to bed that late it soon catches up with me.

Thursday nights keep up me up past my bedtime (thanks to Scandal and Greys) so I really try to hit the sack early every other night.

Sarah Kathleen Peck · Writer, Designer, Long-Distance Swimmer

This is a rhythm, too.

Probably twice a week I stay up late – until midnight or even 1:00am – because I find my stride after work hours and get lost in a writing piece that I’m working on. This happens to me a lot on Friday nights. I don’t usually go out that much (or at least I try not to), and in my college years I developed the habit of “Fridays in, Saturdays out” because we always had 8:00am practice on Saturday morning.

I love the idea that Friday has an extra five hours of time that you can create if you want to use it. Get home from work at 6:00pm, eat a slow dinner or do some stretching, and then work on your favorite project for a few hours. The trick is to make sure that it’s something you really love and want to do, not have to do.

Sam Spurlin · Writer, Ph.D Student

If everything goes according to plan I’m in bed between 10 and 10:30pm. I’d say that happens about 25% of the time. The rest of the time I’d say I’m in bed by 11 or 11:30pm.

Every once in awhile I’ll have a late night. I try to make those the exception instead of the norm so when I do it it feels special and I make sure I’m ultra-productive.

Colin Wright · Author, Entrepreneur, Full-Time Traveler

It really depends on where I’m living, and the day you ask me.

In Argentina, people don’t eat dinner until 10-11:00pm, so I stayed up later. In Columbia, Missouri, everything closes at 1:30am, so I tend to call it a night much earlier. In a vacuum, though, I usually hit the hay around midnight or 1:00am.

Theodora Sutcliffe · Parent, Nomad, Freelance Writer

That varies widely, but it’s rarely before midnight and rarely after 3:00am, unless I’m having an unusually large night out. One of the things I do for living is review bars, and that can make for a very late night.

I’m also on Asia time and most of the people I work with are in the US or the UK, not to mention the audience for my blog, so it helps to be up late. Or very early, I guess, but I’m not a morning person.

Amit Sonawane · Reader, Writer, Devout Tea Drinker

Again, just like waking up, I let my body decide when it is tired. I am usually in bed by 11:00pm on most weeknights. On weekends that might differ. The idea is to get the body tired enough to deserve that rest. So I make my mind and body earn their sleep.

Kashyapi · Meditation and Zen Teacher

Typically between 9 and 10:00pm. Sometimes far later. But I will get up at the same time, even if I go to bed late. Some days I need little sleep, and will get up at 3:00am or sooner.

I always read a Dharma text before I sleep.

Ian Hicken · British Expat in Asturias, Spain

I’m not a night owl these days but that’s because I work physically harder than I ever have done.

We have a large plot and grow most of our own fruit and vegetables and lead a simpler life but there is a load to do on a daily basis so bedtime tends to be around 11.30pm. Sleep comes sometime after depending on what’s on my mind; the price you pay for having a creative mind. If we have friends over or staying then bedtime tends to be much later.

Shawn Mihalik · Author, Rock Climber

This depends on what I’m doing. If I’m home alone, I’ll usually go to bed around 10:00pm, but if I’m with friends, I don’t mind staying up until after midnight as long as I’m having a good time. This is why, while my wakeup time is always early, it varies.