Oct. 19, 2023 -- Hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock is not that bad for you after all. New research says it might even be good for you.
Research showed that using the snooze button had no negative impact on sleep or thought processes. The research was published in the Journal of Sleep Research.
“The research even found that a brief snooze period could alleviate sleep inertia, the disorientation and performance or mood decline that occurs when waking up, without drastically disturbing sleep,” USA Today reported. “It could also improve one's cognitive functioning compared to completely waking up after the first alarm goes off.”
In a news release, corresponding author Tina Sundelin of Stockholm University said, "The findings indicate that there is no reason to stop snoozing in the morning if you enjoy it, at least not for snooze times around 30 minutes. In fact, it may even help those with morning drowsiness to be slightly more awake once they get up."
Two studies were reviewed for the research. One study noted the waking habits of 1,732 adults. Of these, 69% used the snooze alarm or multiple alarms. Snoozing averaged 22 minutes and ranged up to 180 minutes.
The second study looked at 31 snoozers and found that they lost six minutes of sleep for every 30 minutes they snoozed. Researchers found no clear effects on mood, stress, tiredness, or sleep quality.
More than a one-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep, the CDC says. Further research says sleeping seven to eight hours can add years to a person’s life, USA Today wrote.
