the best time to go to bed for a good night's sleep, received from Saga, 2026 01 29

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

Nowadays, most times I'm up around 5 or shortly after, often go to bed soon
after 22:00, sometimes much later and occasionally, considerably earlier,
such as around 20:00.

I often have a doze which frequently turns into a full sleep for maybe a
couple of hours, frequently in the afteernoon.

I guess there are a great many tips in this article of which I ought to take
more notice.

The secrets to sleeping better as we age.

Is there an optimum time to head for our beds? And should we be setting our
alarms earlier? Our sleep experts guide us through the bedtime truths and
myths.
By Emma Lazenby | Published - 27 Jan 2026

Oh, the joy of sweet sleep. If you can get it, that is. We often wonder if
we're going wrong somewhere when the odd bad night of slumber rolls into
weeks and months of poor sleep and we can't remember the last time we felt
truly rested.

But with so much sleep advice out there, it's hard to know what to do for
the best. So, we've turned to the experts to get some definitive answers.

One of the big tips doing the rounds is to tuck ourselves in nice and early.
Indeed, the 18th-century inventor and all-round genius Benjamin Franklin
famously said: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy
and wise."

But 21st-century sleep experts tend to disagree. Despite a UK study claiming
to have found 10pm to be the perfect time for most of us to turn in, our
individual sleep requirements are far too nuanced for a universally magic
bedtime, say our sleep professionals.

But there are plenty of simple things we can do to edge closer to the holy
grail of restful, restorative slumber.

What time should we go to bed?

Dr Hana Patel is a sleep and mental health specialist and resident expert
for Time4Sleep. She says: "While all adults should aim for seven to eight
hours of sleep a night, going to bed when you're not tired isn't going to be
effective. If your body is not ready for sleep, you cannot force it.

"Instead, try to go to bed only when you're feeling sleepy, as this will
reduce the time you remain alert in bed, as well as the frustration you may
experience by being unable to settle."

A consistent sleep routine, much as it is for babies and young children, is
far more impactful on the quality of our slumber than a specified bedtime.

Sleep expert and founder of the Insomnia Clinic Kathryn Pinkham explains:
"There is no single 'perfect' bedtime; consistency matters more than clock
time. I advise people to avoid going to bed too early, as, whilst this can
be tempting if we are exhausted, without a strong sleep drive (our body's
appetite for sleep), our quality of sleep tends to be weaker."

Listening to our bodies' and minds' natural sleep cues is key here. For some
of us, the idea of an early night is heavenly and we drop off quite quickly.
But for others, hitting the sack early is futile, with hours spent feeling
restless and exasperated.

Dr Todd Green is a lead GP for NHS healthcare partner Livi and has a wealth
of experience in sleep science. "Good sleep depends on a consistent routine
to allow for the right amount, not too much or too little, of high-quality,
refreshing rest," he says.

"While there is no single optimum time for everyone to go to bed, it should
be when we are tired but not exhausted.

"Ideally, we want our sleep pattern to coincide with our circadian rhythm,
the internal 'body clock' which differentiates between night and day."

Why it's important to boost our circadian rhythms

As we age, our in-built circadian rhythm can weaken due to a number of
factors, including medication affecting our sleep, fewer regular routines
and less rigid day-to-night signalling. This can result in lower melatonin
levels and lighter, more disruptive sleep. But structuring our days with
plenty of time outside and sticking to consistent sleep routines, can
re-boot our body clocks, no matter what our age is.

But it's bad news for daytime nappers, says Dr Green: "To reinforce and
supplement our circadian rhythm, we should develop both a mental and a
physical association between going to bed and going to sleep. If we spend
too much time in bed when it's not actually time for us to sleep, we
undermine the natural cues of this environment which aid healthy,
high-quality sleep.

"Lying down in the daytime for a short rest, particularly after a physically
demanding activity, can be refreshing, but we should generally avoid
sleeping during this time, or resting in this way (without sleeping) in our
bed, as this again risks disrupting the positive regulatory cues associating
this environment with sleep at night."

Pinkham adds: "Sleep is controlled by two main drives and how well they
align determines sleep quality and deep REM sleep (essential for emotional
regulation and memory consolidation).

"The first is sleep pressure. This builds the longer you are awake and helps
you fall asleep quickly and get deep sleep early in the night. If sleep
pressure is too low, such as after naps or when going to bed too early,
sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented.

"The second is the circadian drive, your internal body clock. It controls
when you feel sleepy or alert and strongly influences REM sleep, which is
richest in the second half of the night.

"Good sleep happens when high sleep pressure coincides with the circadian
'night' signal."

Our sleep patterns should coincide with our circadian rhythms

Does the amount of sleep we need change as we age?

Dr Lindsay Browning, sleep expert and sleep ambassador at And So To Bed,
debunks the common belief we need much less sleep in our older years.
"Actually, the recommended amount of sleep changes very little with age,"
she explains. "For adults aged 18 to 64, the guidance remains around seven
to nine hours per night. And for those aged 65 and over, it is only slightly
lower, at around seven to eight hours.

"While older adults may notice changes in sleep timing, such as falling
asleep and waking earlier, the overall amount of sleep the body needs is
broadly similar to that of younger adults."

Do some people need more sleep than others?

The 'everyone needs eight hours' idea is indeed a myth. But here's another
opportunity to focus less on numbers, times and generalisations and more on
caring for our own unique needs when it comes to rest and rejuvenation.

"'Sleep need' can vary significantly from person to person," says Dr Green.
"Studies measuring brain function (through performance in tests or
challenges) after sleep restriction have shown some individuals maintain
their brain function with just six hours of sleep, while others appear to
need 10 or more hours to do so."

Dr Browning explains that factors such as genetics, physical activity and
whether someone is recovering from illness or sleep deprivation can all
influence individual sleep needs.

Pinkham adds: "Some people function optimally on six-and-a-half hours, while
others truly need over eight. What matters most is not the number itself,
but the quality of sleep you get and whether you feel alert, emotionally
steady and cognitively sharp during the day without relying heavily on
caffeine."

Should we try to wake up earlier?

A sleep trend been making waves is the '5am Club', where participants
consistently rise early to exercise and 'reflect', with claims of benefits
to energy levels and improved sleep overall. But is earlier really better?

Dr Browning believes not: "There is nothing inherently better for your sleep
about waking up at 5am compared to 7am (other than the smug feeling you are
part of the 5am Club!). For people who are evening chronotypes (owls), they
are unlikely to get on well with an early bedtime and early waking up, but
for those who are naturally morning chronotypes (larks), going to bed early
and waking up at 5am may suit their natural rhythm well.

"The most important thing is to get enough sleep, so if you wake up at 5am,
it's likely you would need to be in bed and asleep by 10pm at the latest in
order to get a minimum of seven hours' sleep. As many people need more than
seven hours, they may need to go to bed at 9pm or even 8pm to get enough
sleep by 5am, a bedtime that many people would find difficult."

Dr Green agrees: "Selective use of alarms can produce a more regulated wake
time, which can have a positive impact on both how good we feel in the
daytime and the overall quality of our sleep. However, repeated and
excessively early artificial waking will have the opposite effect."

Very early rising can also cut into our valuable REM sleep, so here we have
another reason NOT to force ourselves out of bed well before we're ready.

Listening to relaxing music, reading or listening to an audiobook can help
your body prepare for sleep

What simple steps can we take towards better sleep

Adding relaxing rituals before bed and tweaking a few lifestyle habits can
work wonders for more restful slumber. However, it's important not to put
too much pressure on ourselves, to avoid the risk of adding stress to what
is supposed to be a relaxing time.

Pinkham says: "Preparation does matter and lifestyle and sleep guidelines
are of course helpful. But it's important not to turn sleep into a
performance. When we add too many rules or spend the entire evening trying
to 'prepare' perfectly for sleep, it often backfires by increasing pressure
and anxiety, which makes sleep harder. Sleep works best when it's allowed to
happen, not forced.

"A short, simple routine you enjoy and associate with winding down is
usually enough. The goal is to signal safety and relaxation to the nervous
system, not to control sleep. Consistency and ease matter far more than
doing everything 'right'."

With this in mind, our experts have recommended a few simple, stress-free
things to consider which could naturally boost our sleep quality.

Wee before bed

Dr Browning says: "As we get older, waking to use the toilet at night
becomes more common, so going to the loo just before bed and avoiding large
drinks late in the evening can help reduce nighttime disruptions."

Ease into bedtime

Dr Patel advises: "Try to develop habits which allow your body to prepare
itself for bed. Include soothing things which make you happy, such as
listening to relaxing music, reading or listening to an audiobook, or having
a cup of caffeine-free tea.

"Relaxation techniques such as a hot bath or shower, stretching and deep
breathing may also help to relieve anxiety, reduce muscle tension and allow
you to fall asleep more easily. Sleep apps can also help if you're still
struggling."

Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime

Dr Browning says: "Caffeine is a stimulant and can make falling asleep more
difficult, even hours after the last drink. Therefore, try to avoid caffeine
in the six hours before bed. Also, although alcohol can make people fall
asleep more quickly, it causes fragmented, poor-quality sleep in the latter
part of the night."

Use your bed for sleep only

Preserving your bed as a place for rest (and perhaps also have sex) is best.
Also using it as somewhere you work or watch TV means your brain can start
to associate the bed with wakefulness. "By keeping the bed as a place for
sleep, your brain maintains a strong link between your bed and sleep, making
it easier to fall asleep when you want to," says Dr Browning.

Get out of bed if you can't sleep

"Many people spend long periods in bed tossing and turning when they can't
sleep, which results in them getting more frustrated and anxious, making it
even harder to fall asleep," says Dr Browning. "Instead, if you've been
lying in bed unable to sleep and you start to feel awake or frustrated, get
out of bed and do something pleasant and engaging, such as reading a chapter
of a book, for a short while, returning to bed only when you feel sleepy
again."

Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time and not just on weekdays

As we've covered earlier, going to bed at a similar time each night and
aiming to wake up at a similar time each morning can work wonders in
supporting our circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up
feeling refreshed. Studies have shown, we cannot fully catch up on lost
sleep, therefore, we function much better when we get sufficient sleep every
day of the week, rather than trying to play catch-up at weekends.

Keep it cool, quiet and dark

"We sleep better when our bedroom is dark and quiet, because light and noise
can make falling and staying asleep more difficult," says Dr Browning.
"Therefore, ensure you have thick curtains and good-quality double glazing
to block noise out.

"Also, an ideal bedroom temperature is 16 to 19°C, which is cooler than many
people's bedrooms generally are. But as we fall asleep, our core body
temperature drops by around one degree and if the room is too warm, we can
struggle to fall asleep."

Dr Patel adds: "If you're trying to sleep around chaos, you're not going to
have much success. Make sure your environment is quiet, calm and
comfortable. Noise-cancelling earphones, heavy curtains, or a white-noise
machine or app may help if you're struggling to drown out environmental
noises."

Tweak your dinner time

Eating too late can trigger the peripheral clocks in our liver and gut,
signalling unhelpful 'daytime' signals. It can also elevate our core body
temperature and of course runs the risk of unwelcome bloating and heartburn,
which is the last thing we need before bed.

Pinkham says: "Finishing your last large meal around three hours before bed
and avoiding heavy, spicy or very sugary foods late at night, along with
keeping exercise gentle in the evening, can support better sleep."

Written by: Emma Lazenby

Emma Lazenby is entering her third decade in journalism, after starting her
reporting career on the Yorkshire Evening Post as a teenager.
She's loved every minute, with contributions to the Sun, Daily Telegraph and
women's magazines, between stints as a Lifestyle Editor for the Press
Association and TV Producer for GMTV and Steph's Packed Lunch.

Emma has covered mental and physical health, charity campaigns, fashion and
beauty, travel, food and parenting with celebrity and inspirational
real-life interviews featuring heavily.

Colin Howard, living in Southern England.