Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Wildly Different Ideas Of What Time Adults Should Go To Bed
Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock Everyone has their own idea of what a reasonable bedtime looks like. Older folks might be perfectly happy settling into bed before 8 p.m., while younger generations are way more likely to have a hard time going to sleep before midnight.
So, when should adults actually go to bed? Well, the answer probably depends, at least in part, on which generation you're talking to.
Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers all have their own ideas of an appropriate adult bedtime:
Baby boomers often think heading to bed early is the most responsible thing to do.
For many boomers, going to bed at a reasonable hour is one of the ways they practice being a responsible adult. They are the type that usually prefers an early night, especially if it means waking up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
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There's also something to be said about sticking to a routine. This generation grew up with more structured sleep schedules, where waking up early for work and family responsibilities made getting enough sleep a priority. Going to bed around 8 or 9 p.m. is a practical way to prevent having to drag themselves through the next morning.
Not every boomer follows the same routine, but they generally have no desire to stay up late. They've reached a point where they know what works for their bodies, and they'll argue that getting a good night's sleep is underrated.
Gen X falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to bedtime.
Gen X often juggles a demanding job and a never-ending list of things to get done, so their bedtime typically depends on how much time they have for themselves at the end of the day. Going to bed around 10 or 11 p.m. might feel like a good compromise between getting enough rest and enjoying a little downtime at the end of a long day.
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To this generation, the evening can be one of their few chances to relax without someone needing something. Having a little time to watch TV or scroll on their phone can feel too good to give up, even when they know they should probably be sleeping.
According to millennials, going to sleep isn't the same as being ready to end the day.
Millennials tend to have a complicated relationship with going to bed. After spending hours working, running errands, keeping up with their friends and family, and battling daily stress, many only have time to themselves at night. That can mean staying up until 11 p.m. or midnight.
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Bedtime can easily get pushed back when they're binge-watching a show or getting lost in a group chat. It's not that they don't value sleep like older generations. They just struggle to fit personal time into their already packed schedules. The quiet nighttime hours can be pretty difficult to give up.
Gen Z likes to stay up late so they don't feel like they're missing out.
Much of this generation is comfortable staying up until midnight or later, whether they're scrolling social media, gaming with friends, watching videos, or catching up on messages. With entertainment only a few taps away, it's easy for bedtime to become less of a set schedule and more of a suggestion.
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There's also the appeal of having uninterrupted time at night. When the day feels busy or overwhelming, the later hours can offer a sense of freedom that makes it tempting to put off sleep just a little bit longer, until suddenly it's 2 a.m. and they don't know where the time went.
Kayla Asbach is a writer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
