We have all been there - you are exhausted; perhaps you had a bad night's sleep, your alarm goes off, and you habitually hit the snooze button. Nine minutes later, you hear that nagging sound again.
You're exhausted, but for some reason, you can't seem to fall back to sleep when you had all those night-time hours available, but now that the alarm is going off once again, all you want is to hit snooze and go back to sleep!
People think hitting the snooze button a couple of times will help them get more sleep, but it does the opposite.
Interrupted, choppy sleep will cause you to feel groggy when you finally do decide to get out of bed, and it can interrupt your sleep cycle and your internal body clock if you keep waking up and sleeping during REM-deep sleep. You will not feel more rested by pressing snooze over and over again.
We all know that sleep is an essential part of our daily routine. We need a certain amount of sleep each night to function properly and stay healthy.
If you struggle with insomnia, you know how difficult it can be to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep at night. Those numbers may cause more stress and pressure and hinder your sleep.
Many people turn to the snooze button to get a few extra minutes of sleep before getting up and starting their day. But is the snooze button the answer? Does pressing the snooze button make us more tired? Let's take a look at the facts.
The Snooze Button: Is it Okay to Use the Snooze Button?
According to a survey, the average person hits the snooze button twice before getting out of bed. While it may seem harmless, hitting the snooze button can negatively affect your sleep cycle.
Pressing the snooze button doesn't just disrupt your sleep pattern; it can also affect your sleep cycle.
When you hit the snooze button and go back to bed, you're essentially telling your brain that it's time to wake up again soon. Your body is expecting to be awakened, so it won't be able to relax enough to fall asleep quickly.
Understanding Snooze Button Addiction
First, it's important to understand how our bodies are naturally programmed to sleep. Our bodies have their internal clocks, known as circadian rhythms, which dictate when we should be asleep and when we should be awake.
During a normal night's rest, our bodies go through several sleep cycles. A complete cycle takes about 90 to 150 minutes; during this time, our bodies go through several sleep stages–from light to deep sleep.
When we use the snooze button, it interrupts this cycle and can lead to a feeling of grogginess when we wake up.
By repeatedly interrupting our natural sleep cycle with the snooze button, we deny ourselves the opportunity to experience a full and refreshing night's rest.
The more times you hit the snooze button, the more your body gets used to being awakened before it's had a chance to complete its sleep cycle; this can lead to what is known as "snooze button addiction" – an inability to wake up without hitting the snooze button multiple times. Hitting snooze becomes an unconscious habit.
Is Hitting the Snooze Button Bad for My Physical Health?
If you regularly hit snooze on your alarm or phone, it's probably a sign you are not getting enough sleep. You may be awake for periods throughout the night. Not getting enough sleep can have a significant impact on our physical health. Lack of quality sleep has been linked to an increased risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. It can also lead to difficulty concentrating and lower productivity at work or school.
It is also important to note that sleeping too much can also be detrimental to our health. Too much sleep can be a symptom of anxiety and depression.
You should contact your primary care doctor if you are getting too much sleep every night. In addition, sleeping for more than nine hours at a time can disrupt our circadian rhythms and make it difficult to wake up.
Why You're Addicted to Hitting the Snooze Button
Hitting the snooze button can become an addiction because of its short-term payoff; there may be a few reasons you continue doing it.
The first is that you may not be getting enough sleep on a regular basis. If your body isn't getting the rest it needs, it instinctively tries to compensate for lost time by hitting the snooze button and getting a few more minutes of sleep.
If you have insomnia, hitting the snooze button may feel like you are getting a few more minutes of sleep, but it may only temporarily relieve your symptoms. It may be a placebo effect and is really messing up your sleep cycle instead. Quick fixes often create long-term issues.
We are creatures of habit; if you are someone who needs an alarm to wake up in the morning, constantly having it go off can become an addiction.
The anticipation of when it will go off again can give you a sense of comfort and security in knowing that you won't oversleep, or it can do the opposite and create anxiety.
Snoozing and Mental Health: What's the Link?
The link between snoozing and mental health is complex. On the one hand, sleep deprivation can contribute to problems such as depression, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
At the same time, the act of snoozing can also be a sign of an underlying mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety. When we feel overwhelmed with life's responsibilities or pressure, our bodies instinctively want to retreat into sleep to cope with the situation.
How to Break the Snooze Habit
The key to breaking the snooze habit is to prioritize quality sleep and make a clear decision to stop hitting snooze. Do not say you will "try"; decide to quit. Start by creating a consistent sleep routine that allows your body and mind to relax and incorporating good sleep hygiene practices into your daily routine.
Here are some tips for cutting back on your snoozing:
Sit up as soon as your alarm goes off.
Turn on a light as soon as your alarm goes off.
Set a realistic bedtime and stick to it – this will help condition your body to wake up at the same time each day naturally.
Set your alarm on the other side of the room, so you have to get up to turn it off.
Get up every morning at the same time, even if you had a poor night's sleep.
Try meditating or reading before bed instead of checking your phone or watching TV – this will help relax your body and make it easier to fall asleep.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the evening, as these can disturb your sleep.
If you wake up at night, try to relax and focus on your breathing until you fall back asleep.
Make sure your room is dark and cool – this will help promote better sleep quality and reduce the urge to hit snooze.
Hitting the snooze button may seem like an easy fix to getting more sleep, but it can actually do more harm than good. Long-term use of the snooze button can lead to poor physical and mental health.
Conclusion
Making simple changes to your sleep habits and following good sleep hygiene practices can help you break the snooze habit and get better, more restful sleep. With consistency and dedication, you can start waking up feeling refreshed and energized.