Every few hours calculator
"Every 8 hours" isn't the same as "during the day". Enter the gap and your first dose to see how many doses that makes and when each one falls.
The times above are an example until you change them. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
What the number tells you
Every 8 hours means an even gap around the clock, so one dose may fall while you are usually asleep. Doses taken three times a day during waking hours have uneven gaps.
If your label doesn't make clear which one it means, ask your pharmacist.
What it leaves out
This only works out times from the gap you enter. It can't tell you how often to take a medication. Follow your label or what your doctor told you.
Common questions
Every 8 hours is how many times a day?
Three times a day. With a first dose at 8:00 am, the others fall at 4:00 pm and 12:00 am.
Every 4 hours is how many times a day?
Six times a day, if the doses carry on around the clock. Some medicines given every 4 hours have a daily limit, so check your label.
Every 6 hours is how many times a day?
Four times a day. With a first dose at 8:00 am, the others fall at 2:00 pm, 8:00 pm and 2:00 am.
Every 12 hours is how many times a day?
Twice a day, for example at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.
Do I have to wake up for a dose?
It depends on the medicine. Ask your pharmacist whether a night dose matters for yours.
Reminders at every one of these times
Cadence turns a schedule like this into reminders on your iPhone and Apple Watch. Free, with no account and no subscription.
More free tools: Medication schedule maker, Missed dose time checker, Time zone dose planner, All free tools