Whats the Best Time to Go to Sleep in Summer?

During summer, when the weather is hot, many people experience difficulty falling asleep, and some even stay up until midnight or later. Occasional late nights will not have a significant impact on health, but prolonged late sleep can affect it. In summer, it is best to sleep before 10 or 11 pm, which not only aligns with the seasonal characteristics but also respects the natural rhythm of the human body clock.

The daily schedule should align with the characteristics of longer days and shorter nights in summer, favoring a later bedtime and earlier wakeup. However, it is essential to maintain a refreshed state, and the bedtime should not be too late. The ideal bedtime should not exceed 12 am. Traditional Chinese medicine advocates sleeping during the "zi" and "wu" periods, with "zi" referring to 11 pm to 1 am and "wu" referring to 11 am to 1 pm. This schedule aligns with seasonal changes and the health needs of the human body.

1. Infants from birth to one year old: Approximately 16 hours per day. Sleep is crucial for the growth and development of young infants, and they require the most sleep time, about 16 hours daily.

2. Toddlers aged 1 to 4: Need 12 hours of sleep per day, sometimes with additional 2 to 3 hours of naps during the day. The specific sleep schedule can be adjusted based on their natural sleep rhythm, such as some toddlers preferring a nap around noon and another later in the afternoon.

3. Children aged 5 to 10: Need 10 to 12 hours of sleep per day, with older children requiring 8 to 10 hours. Insufficient sleep can lead to lethargy, immune system weakness, and impaired growth and development. Children in this age group should aim for 12 hours of sleep, going to bed around 8 pm and taking a short nap during the day if possible. Older children may require 10 or even 8 hours of sleep.

4. Adolescents aged 13 to 20: Need over 8 hours of sleep per day. They should follow the principle of early to bed and early to rise, ensuring deep sleep around 3 am. Ideally, they should go to bed before midnight and wake up at 6 am, and even on weekends, they should avoid oversleeping.

5. Young adults aged 21 to 30: 8 hours of sleep per day is sufficient.

6. Adults aged 31 to 60: Men require approximately 6.5 hours, while women need 7.5 hours. Adults should aim for "quality sleep time" from 10 pm to 5 am, as this is when deep sleep is most easily achieved, helping to relieve fatigue.

7. Elderly individuals over 60: Should aim for 5.5 to 7 hours of sleep per day. They should go to bed before midnight, with 7 or even 5.5 hours of nighttime sleep being sufficient.