Are you feeling the post-Christmas slump this week and have hit the snooze button too many times?
However, a recent study by Happy Beds involving a survey of 3000 participants, reveals that frequent snoozing can lead to chronic sleep deprivation and exacerbate sleep disturbances.
To help combat the vicious cycle of repeatedly pressing snooze, the sleep experts at Happy Beds have delved deeper into their findings before offering their top tips for bouncing out of bed after your alarm goes off.
Dr Katherine Hall, the sleep psychologist at Happy Beds, highlights the challenges many people face now that the Christmas season has given way to dark, cold mornings and lingering holiday fatigue.
She said, “The absence of natural light in the morning disrupts our circadian rhythms, as our bodies typically respond to waking with daylight. The temptation to hit snooze on a cold, dark morning makes getting out of bed very challenging. However, reaching for the snooze button can further confuse your circadian rhythm, leaving your body uncertain about when it is time to wake and go to sleep, as it encourages a return to deep sleep.”
She adds, “You’re also more likely to have post-holiday fatigue from late-night celebrations and indulgent meals, which just adds to the temptation of hitting snooze. It’s not just a harmless extra few minutes; it can lead to chronic tiredness, trouble sleeping, and that groggy feeling known as sleep inertia. These challenges really highlight the importance of tackling sleep patterns for our overall well-being, especially during these transitions and post-holiday tired spells.”
1 in 4 people press the snooze button 3–4 times every morning
Happy Beds’ survey found that 57% of people press the snooze button every morning, with a staggering 1 in 4 (25%) pressing it between three and four times daily. A further 1 in 11 (9%) said they repeatedly pressed snooze five or more times.
Commenting on this, Rex Isap, the CEO at Happy Beds, said, “If you’re someone who hits snooze regularly, studies suggest you’re more likely to feel constantly tired compared to those who wake up naturally without an alarm. This is because waking up to natural daylight without any external disturbances helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. When you wake up naturally to the light, your body goes through a stress response, and using an alarm can mess with that natural process.”
6 tips to stop relying on the snooze button this January
The tips can be found in full on Happy Beds’ helpful guide; however, here they are summed up:
- Stop setting multiple alarms to resist the snooze temptation.
- Opt for a soothing alarm tone to ease morning stress.
- Make snoozing harder by placing your alarm across the room.
- Kickstart your wake-up by putting your foot out of bed for an instant temperature change.
- If you really need to wake up, open the blinds and turn on your ceiling light. This signals to your brain that it’s time to wake up.
- Be realistic with your alarm time to avoid the snooze button; if necessary, test a no-snooze approach for a few days.
