A memory device includes a hardware suspend mechanism configured to place a component of a memory controller into a lower power mode while a memory operation is being completed. A timer is provided to wakeup the CPU out of the lower power mode; and hardware interrupts can be used in determining to either enter or wake from the lower power mode. Memory monitoring circuitry is provided to estimate the duration of memory operations; and timers are provided to wake the component in the absence of hardware interrupts or additional commands.