Your sleep schedule doesn’t have to be determined by family, work and social commitments. You can figure out optimal bed and wake times that afford the best, most restful sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests:

• Figure out what time you need to wake up each morning, and count backwards to figure out when you should head to bed. Seven-to-nine hours of sleep is optimal.
• Consider your circadian rhythm. Figure out whether you tend to be most alert in the morning or at night, so you can adjust your sleep schedule to your body’s needs.
• An ideal bedtime for most people is between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. Adjust your bedtime based on whether you’re waking up before your alarm in the morning, or struggling to fall asleep within 20 minutes.
• Stick to the same sleep schedule on weekends.

Source: HealthDay