svefntímar

Svefntímar is an Icelandic noun meaning “sleep hours” or “times for sleeping.” It is a direct compound formed from svefn, sleep, and tímar, times or hours. The term is used to refer to periods when someone is asleep or to scheduled times for sleep, such as bedtimes or measured sleep duration. Because it concentrates on the temporal aspect of sleep, svefntímar often appears in descriptive writing, medical or scientific discussions, and literature addressing sleep patterns, rest routines, or circadian rhythms. In translations, svefntímar is typically rendered as “sleep hours” or “sleep times” in English.

Etymology and form: Svefn + tímar follows a common Icelandic pattern of combining a base concept with a temporal unit. The plural form svefntímar indicates multiple such periods or categories of sleep time.

Usage notes: The term is more likely to be encountered in formal or scholarly Icelandic texts rather than everyday speech, where speakers may use more general phrases to convey the idea of sleep duration or bedtime routines.

See also: Svefn (sleep), sleep duration, sleep schedule, circadian rhythm.