Just 5 More Minutes of Snoozing? Here's Why You'd Better Not:

Do you hit snooze because you struggle to get out of bed in the morning? You're not the only one. Lots of people press the alarm off a few more times in the morning just to roll over for a bit longer. For some this is 5 minutes, for others it can add up to 20 minutes. Although it can feel great to close your eyes again after hearing your alarm, it's actually not that good for you. In this article, we take a closer look at what snoozing actually does to your body and why you'd better not do it.

What is snoozing and why is it so bad?

Snoozing means silencing your alarm temporarily. Many phones or alarm clocks have a snooze function that lets you set when the alarm goes off again. This can be every 3, 5, or 10 minutes. If you regularly press the snooze button, know that you're definitely not the only one. In fact, snoozing is addictive. So if you want to stop doing it? That can actually be quite difficult. When you fall asleep, your body gets a serotonin boost. Serotonin creates a peaceful, calm, and happy feeling. You can imagine that when you fall back asleep after hearing your alarm, you also get this serotonin boost. So you feel peaceful and happy. That's why it can be very addictive to keep pressing that snooze button over and over. This can result in you being late for work, school, or an appointment.

The snooze button disrupts your REM sleep

Besides making you late for appointments and having to rush extra in the morning, the snooze button has other downsides too. It significantly disrupts your REM sleep. Every night you need enough sleep, and your REM sleep and deep sleep in particular are very important. REM stands for rapid eye movement, and it's the period during which you dream. REM sleep is important for your mental recovery and helps you get through the day feeling happy and functioning well. By pressing the snooze button every time, you can disrupt your REM sleep, with a range of negative effects as a result. In some cases, people choose to set their alarm half an hour earlier in the morning so they can stay in bed a bit longer. This can mean you don't get enough sleep in a night. As a result, you can feel tired and listless again during the day, making it harder to carry out your tasks properly.

What happens while you're snoozing?

When you snooze, you fall back asleep for a few minutes. This sleep is so short that you never reach deep sleep. As a result, these short minutes of sleep are just poor naps that do nothing for your energy level. That's why it's better to set your alarm for the actual time you need to get up and get out of bed straight away when you hear it. This way you get to keep that extra 30 minutes of deep sleep, leaving you feeling rested and with enough energy to start the day. Deep sleep and REM sleep are essential for physical and mental recovery. Deep sleep is especially important if you exercise a lot. To be happy and function well, you need to get enough REM sleep. By using the snooze function, you can miss out on this valuable sleep. In general, people who press the snooze button in the morning are also more tired than people who don't.

You become mentally stronger by no longer snoozing

By no longer pressing the snooze button in the morning, you can become mentally stronger. This is because it takes quite a bit of willpower, especially if you use the snooze function every morning. So train yourself to wake up immediately when you hear your alarm. This can be difficult at first, but with enough willpower and perseverance, anyone can do it. Over time you'll get used to it naturally, and you'll notice you have much more energy throughout the day. To really get the very best sleep, you should go to bed on time and wake up naturally without an alarm. However, for many people this is a big gamble, as they could end up being late for work.

Something else that helps you snooze less is, of course, a good night's sleep. If you sleep poorly, you rest less well, making it harder to wake up. Check, for example, whether your pillow needs replacing. Sleep well!