Hitting the snooze button is a bad idea for maintaining good health
We all know that feeling. The alarm blares, and instead of getting up, we slap the snooze button and drift back to sleep. Those extra minutes feel like a gift, but are they really? Sleep experts warn that hitting snooze disrupts crucial sleep stages.
Yet, a study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham reveals that more than half of sleep sessions end with a snooze alarm. The average person spends 10.8 minutes each morning in a cycle of fragmented sleep before finally waking up
Who hits snooze the most?
Some people can’t help but keep hitting the snooze button. Researchers divided snooze users into three groups.
The first group barely hit snooze, maybe once or twice, for just three minutes. The second group snoozed a bit more, pressing it twice and snoozing for over six minutes. The last group – the heavy snoozers – couldn’t stop.
They hit snooze four times per morning, spending about 20 minutes in a foggy, half-awake state.
Why snoozing disrupts sleep
“Unfortunately, the snooze alarm disrupts some of the most important stages of sleep,” said Robbins.
“The hours just before waking are rich in rapid eye movement sleep. Hitting the snooze alarm will interrupt these critical stages of sleep and typically only offer you light sleep in between snooze alarms.”
“The best approach for optimizing your sleep and next day performance is to set your alarm for the latest possible time, then commit to getting out of bed when your first alarm goes off.”
Wake up feeling groggy and disoriented? That’s sleep inertia. The study backed this up, showing heavy snooze users slept less soundly and felt less rested during the day.
Women use the snooze button more
Women seem to use the snooze button more than men. In the study, women pressed snooze an average of 2.5 times per session, while men hit it 2.3 times. Women also spent more time in snooze mode, averaging 11.5 minutes compared to 10.2 minutes for men.
Why do women snooze more? Researchers think it might be because women often deal with more sleep problems, like insomnia or restless sleep. They might also have more responsibilities, like work, childcare, or other tasks that can interrupt their sleep.
In the morning, they try to grab a few extra minutes of rest by hitting snooze. But those extra minutes don’t always provide real rest – they often leave them feeling more tired and groggy.
Weekdays vs. weekends
People hit the snooze button more on weekdays than on weekends. The study found that from Monday to Friday, the average number of snoozes per session was 2.5. On weekends, it dropped slightly to 2.3.
Why the difference? During the workweek, people have set schedules and early alarms, so they’re more likely to hit snooze to squeeze in a bit more sleep.
On weekends, they have more freedom to sleep in and less pressure to get up at a specific time. As a result, they don’t feel the need to keep pressing snooze.
How sleep duration affects snoozing
Not everyone has time to hit snooze. Those sleeping less than five hours hardly used the snooze function.
However, those logging more than nine hours couldn’t get enough. They hit snooze four times per session, stretching their wake-up window to 20 minutes of fragmented sleep.
Researchers suggest that short sleepers might have tighter schedules, with no room for those few extra minutes in bed. Meanwhile, long sleepers may feel like they have more time to spare, leading to more snoozing.
Which countries hit snooze the most
Snooze habits vary from country to country. In the study, Sweden had the highest average snooze usage, with people hitting the snooze button 2.7 times per session.
Germany and the United States were close behind at 2.5 snoozes per session. Japan and Australia kept their snooze time shorter, averaging 2.2 presses per session.
When it came to how long people stayed in snooze mode, Sweden was again the leader. People there spent an average of 11.7 minutes hitting snooze. In Japan, that number was much lower – just 9.2 minutes.
The prime season to hit snooze
Seasons matter. In the Northern Hemisphere, December was prime snooze season, with people averaging 2.62 snoozes and 11.83 minutes of fragmented sleep.
Down south, July took the top spot with 2.35 snoozes. On the flip side, September in the north and November in the south had the lowest snooze rates.
Why the shift? Dark mornings and less daylight in winter could make it harder to wake up, tempting people to hit snooze again and again.
Bedtime and wake time
When you go to bed and wake up can affect how much you hit snooze. People who went to sleep early, around 8 p.m., barely used the snooze button. They averaged 2.5 presses.
On the other hand, those who stayed up until 10 p.m. hit snooze five times, dragging out their wake-up by 26 minutes.
Wake-up times showed similar patterns. Early risers who woke up at 3 a.m. only hit snooze twice. But those getting up at 1 p.m. pressed snooze nearly seven times, spending 37.6 minutes in a foggy, fragmented state of sleep.
Optimizing sleep and feeling rested
Sticking to a regular sleep schedule meant less snoozing. People who went to bed at their usual time hit snooze five to six times per session.
But those who stayed up late? They hit snooze up to seven times, struggling to get up in the morning and dragging out their wake-up time.
Is hitting the snooze button worth it? Rebecca Robbins thinks not. “The best approach for optimizing your sleep and next day performance is to set your alarm for the latest possible time, then commit to getting out of bed when your first alarm goes off.”
Hitting snooze might feel good in the moment, but it breaks up crucial sleep stages, leaving you groggy and less rested. Next time that alarm rings, think twice before slapping snooze. Your brain – and your mood – will thank you.
The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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