The effect of clicking the sleep button: Insight into its functions and implications.
Alarm Snoozing Common Practice, Yet Harmful to Sleep Quality and Health
The snooze button on an alarm clock appears to be a tempting escape, offering a few more minutes of slumber. However, a study led by sleep researcher Rebecca Robbins from Harvard Medical School, published in the journal 'Scientific Reports', indicates that this habit is quite prevalent, particularly in Germany.
The team analyzed data from over 21,000 users of the "Sleep Cycle" app across nearly three million nights. Their findings show that people activated the snooze function in about 56% of those nights. On days that the snooze button was pressed, nearly half of these individuals did so more than 80% of the time, averaging around 20 additional minutes of sleep. The study also reveals that all app users slept an extra 11 minutes on average per day.
Frequent snoozers often find themselves pressing the button multiple times in the morning. For example, Swedes activated the snooze button an average of 2.7 times per day, while the rate was 2.5 times in both Germany and the United States and 2.2 times in Japan and Australia. Interestingly, women tended to press the snooze button slightly more frequently than men—an average of 2.5 times compared to 2.3 times. The habit was also more common during weekdays than weekends.
Remarkably, those who slept less than five hours rarely used the snooze button. Researchers attribute this to the group's heightened awareness of utilizing their limited sleep time effectively, leaving no room for extra snoozing.
Robbins explains that hitting the snooze button repeatedly disrupts some of the most important sleep phases. This interruption usually provides only light sleep between snooze alarms, harming sleep quality. The hours before waking are rich in REM sleep, a crucial sleep phase that is disturbed when the snooze button is pressed.
Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep per night for optimal health. Inadequate sleep can impact mental health, increase the risk of heart disease, and reduce cognitive performance. To ensure proper sleep, set your alarm for the latest possible time and rise when the first alarm sounds.
In conclusion, repeatedly hitting the snooze button can lead to disruptions in sleep quality, confusion of the body's internal clock, and potential long-term health implications. Expert advice suggests breaking the snooze button habit and waking up at the first alarm for better overall sleep health.
Sources: ntv.de, gho/dpa
- Health
- Studies
- Frequent snoozing, a common practice, can adversely affect sleep quality and overall health, as indicated by a study in the journal 'Scientific Reports'.
- Science and sleep researchers generally recommend opting for the first alarm to maintain seven to nine hours of sleep per night for better health-and-wellness, as sleep deprivation can negatively impact mental health, increase the risk of heart disease, and reduce cognitive performance.
