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Outdoor Camp / Beach Sleep Cycle Calculator
Waking at the end of a sleep cycle usually feels easier than waking mid-cycle. Enter the time you must wake, or the time you plan to go to bed, and get times that land on 90-minute cycle boundaries.
Your inputs
How it works
Sleep runs in cycles of roughly 90 minutes. This calculator allows 15 minutes to fall asleep on top of the cycles, so a 5-cycle night means going to bed 7 hours 45 minutes before the wake time (5 x 90 minutes + 15 minutes), and waking 7 hours 45 minutes after the bedtime. The same 15-minute allowance is used in both directions.
Most adults do best with 5 or 6 cycles. Four cycles (6 hours plus falling-asleep time) is shown for short nights only, such as an early start after a late campfire, not as a regular target.
How to use your result
Pick the row that fits your night, then work backwards from it: set an alarm for the wake time, and aim to be in bed, lights out, at the bedtime shown. Outdoors, three things matter more than the maths: ground insulation under your sleeping mat, so the cold ground does not steal your warmth; enough warmth in your bag for the coldest part of the night, which is just before dawn; and earplugs if waves, wind or other campers are likely to wake you between cycles.
Related guides
- Camping Sleep Cycles and Early Mornings
- Sleeping Well in a Tent: A Practical Guide
- Outdoor Sleep: Comfort and Warmth Tips
Please note: this tool gives general information only, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, talk to a clinician before changing your activity, sun exposure, fluids, or sleep routine.