Getting enough quality sleep is an important part of your overall health. When your alarm goes off in the morning, it can be tempting to press the snooze button once. Or twice. Or three times. Sleep experts have typically advised against hitting your snooze button, as it was thought to be harmful to your sleep health. However, a recent study shows that for healthy sleepers without a history of sleep disorders, snoozing a bit in the morning might not actually be so bad.
To Snooze or Not to Snooze
Sleep experts have cautioned that the snooze button is counterproductive to your sleep because you’re waking yourself up when you could be continuing quality, restorative sleep.
The new study, performed at Stockholm University, showed that snoozing up to 30 minutes each morning didn’t have any negative cognitive effects on their sample, which was made up of serial snoozers who don’t have any sleep disorders and typically get the recommended seven or eight hours of sleep per night.
“This data suggests that it didn’t have much of an impact on sleep among these people who are pretty healthy, and that snoozing did help them wake up a little easier,” says Kelly Baron, PhD, a clinical psychologist with a specialty in behavioral sleep medicine at University of Utah Health. “They didn’t find any effects on sleep architecture or their cognitive functioning.”
Additionally, the study did not find a huge difference in mood or sleepiness in the snoozers versus the non-snoozers throughout their days.
It’s important to note that this study doesn’t necessarily mean the snooze button is a positive thing for everyone, however.
There are many lifestyle factors that may mean snoozing isn’t a good idea for certain people, such as:
-
People with sleep disorders like sleep apnea
-
Shift workers or those who work atypical hours
-
People who wake up to take care of children or others during the night
-
People with other medical conditions that cause them to wake during the night
Snoozing can prolong sleep inertia, which is the grogginess you feel when you first wake up. If you find yourself cranky and groggy in the mornings, you may want to consider kicking the snoozing habit.
“Exposing yourself to light, getting in the shower, and having a little caffeine are all things that will reduce sleep inertia. You’re allowing yourself some boot-up time.”
Tailor the snooze button to your own personal needs and circumstances, even if that means resisting the temptation to use it at all. But if you’re a generally good sleeper and aren’t quite ready to leave the comfort of your bed yet, no need to feel guilty about snoozing.