About SleepUtility
Helping you wake up refreshed and energized by optimizing your sleep cycles.
Our Story
SleepUtility was created as a passion project after I read more about how waking up at the right time in your sleep cycle can make a huge difference in how you feel in the morning.
After creating a simple CLI tool to calculate the best time to wake up for myself, I realized that this helped me feel a lot more energized in the morning. I decided to turn this into a web app so that it is easier to use (from your phone for example) and to share it with others.
The Science Behind Sleep Cycles
Throughout the night, your body goes through multiple sleep cycles, each lasting approximately 90 minutes. Each cycle consists of different stages:
- Light Sleep (Stage 1): The transition between wakefulness and sleep[1].
- Light Sleep (Stage 2): Body temperature drops and heart rate slows down. Around 50% of your sleep time is spent in this stage[2].
- Deep Sleep (Stage 3): The most restorative sleep phase, essential for physical recovery[2].
- REM Sleep: When most dreaming occurs, crucial for cognitive function and memory consolidation[1].
Waking up during Stage 3 (deep sleep) causes the strongest sleep inertia[3]. Sleep inertia is that groggy, disoriented feeling. SleepUtility helps you wake up between cycles when you're in lighter sleep stages, making it easier to start your day feeling refreshed.
Our Approach
SleepUtility's calculator uses proven sleep science to help you plan your sleep schedule. We factor in:
- The average time it takes to fall asleep (10 - 20 minutes)[4]
- Complete sleep cycles (approximately 90 minutes each)[1]
- Optimal number of cycles for restorative sleep (5-6 cycles)
Our recommendations prioritize waking up at the end of a sleep cycle, rather than in the middle of one. This approach is backed by sleep research[3] and helps users minimize morning grogginess and maximize natural energy.
Try SleepUtility Today
Experience better mornings and more energized days by optimizing your sleep cycles with our calculator.
References
- Cite this Page Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Sleep Medicine and Research; Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2006. 2, Sleep Physiology.
- Suni, Eric. “Stages of Sleep: What Happens in a Sleep Cycle.” Sleep Foundation. December 8, 2023.
- Hilditch CJ, McHill AW. Sleep inertia: current insights. Nat Sci Sleep. 2019 Aug 22;11:155-165.
- James Roland. “How Long Should It Take You to Fall Asleep?” Healthline. Last modified February 10, 2023.