Dr. Sarah Mitchell

Why I Built This

I spent six years running polysomnography studies at the University of Colorado Boulder Sleep Lab. I published papers on ultradian rhythms in Journal of Sleep Research. I gave talks at the Sleep Research Society annual meeting. And I still woke up feeling like garbage every single morning.

The problem was not the science — it was the gap between the science and real life. In the lab, we controlled everything: light, temperature, meal timing. In my actual life, I had a kid, a husband who worked late, and a dog who barked at 5:47 AM every Tuesday.

So I started tracking. Not with fancy equipment — just a spreadsheet, a pen, and the question: "What time did I go to bed, what time did I wake up, and how did I feel?" After 847 mornings, I found my pattern. My optimal bedtime was 10:45 PM. Not 11:00. Not 10:30. 10:45. That 15-minute difference changed everything.

I built Bedtime Cycle because I wanted other people to find their 10:45 without spending three years on a spreadsheet. The tools are free because the science should be free. The ads keep the lights on. The affiliate links to mattresses I actually sleep on keep my family fed.

Education & Credentials

Professional Experience

2014–2020: Research Scientist, CU Boulder Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory. Led studies on sleep cycle variability in working adults. Published 12 peer-reviewed papers. Supervised 8 graduate students.

2020–Present: Independent Sleep Science Consultant & Sleep Coach. Worked with 200+ clients on circadian rhythm optimization. Built Bedtime Cycle in 2024 as a free resource.

The Personal Stuff

I live in Boulder with my husband Mike (a software engineer who now goes to bed at 11:15 because the calculator told him to), our son Leo (who sleeps through the night now, thank god), and our dog Maple (who still barks at 5:47 AM on Tuesdays, but we are working on it).

I drink too much coffee before 10 AM and none after 2 PM. I have a weighted blanket that I am genuinely embarrassed to admit I love. I once fell asleep during a TED talk about sleep — the irony was not lost on me.

My mission is simple: make sleep science accessible to people who do not have a PhD. Because everyone deserves to wake up feeling human.