The morning time can be a pleasant, rejuvenated time of day for some, but for those night owls out there, the sound of an alarm penetrating their peaceful sleep cycle can be dreadful. Hence their greatest ally, the snooze button.
But interestingly enough, this 10 minute boost (or perhaps 30 for some…) is actually the forsaken enemy.
A Brief History
In her article, Why The Snooze Button Is Ruining Your Sleep, author Sophia Breene explained that the first alarm clock was constructed in 1787 by a New Hampshire native named Levi Hutchins, set to ring every morning at 4:00 a.m. (yikes) A few centuries later, Westclox introduced its “Drowse” line of electrical alarm clocks, with a 5-10 minute snooze function.
Today we see the use (or abuse) of the snooze function in practically every household. One survey found that more than a third of Americans hit the snooze button three or more times daily, and more than half of people ages 25 to 34 press snooze daily.
What The Biology Of Sleep Tells Us
But this subconscious habit may be sabotaging your daily energy levels, in fact, an alarm clock all together may not be a good idea. To understand why, we need to look at the biology of our sleep cycles.
During a sleeping cycle, the body shifts into different brain level states, the most crucial being the REM state.
Before our bodies awaken, the brain sends out hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline which help us to shift from the REM state to a lighter state of sleep. When an alarm triggers an early and sudden wakefulness, it interrupts the natural wakening process, leading to a grogginess that sometimes lasts all day (enters the question, “Who pee’d in your corn flakes?”).
When we hit our snooze button multiple times, particularly if we haven’t had enough sleep, we are actually depriving our bodies of the more crucial type of sleep, REM. And depriving ourselves of this type of sleep can also have a detrimental effect on our cognitive abilities.
A Simple Solution
So how do we solve this problem? It’s simple: you need more sleep. Try setting the alarm for the actual time you get out of bed (after the last snooze).
If that doesn’t work, try leaving your alarm clock far away from your beside to force you to literally get up.
And for the peeps who just can’t live without that snooze function, set a strict limit for yourself. Minimize the deprivation by allowing yourself to hit the button only once (10 minutes of interrupted sleep is better than 30).
For a long term solution, try utilizing your body’s circadian rhythms by sticking to a natural waking and bed time schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the exact same time every day and night will help train your brain and body to awaken without the use of an alarm clock.
So, kick your snooze addiction to the curb and enjoy experiencing more energized and rejuvenated mornings, don’t let it be a daily struggle.
Do you have any suggestions on making getting out of bed easier? Share with us below!
I drink a few big glasses of water before bed. I call it the Bart Simpson method. ( From the episode where he ruins Xmas) That way I’ll have to pee really badly in the morning thus making getting out if bed easier
That’s also where I got that idea from!! Haha, thanks bart you’ve saved me many unbearable mornings 😀
I set my alarm to an upbeat song I like so it makes me WANT to get up out of bed! (Try a song you would workout or dance to!)
I used to struggle with this. I found putting the alarm clock on the otherside of the room helpful, then I found the secret. Get an alarm clock that plays music and stick it on a channel that plays music you absolutely hate. For me on try and the mariachi channel work well. Not that I don’t like mariachi just there is a time and a place for everything and 430 in the morning is not mariachi time
Lmao i seriously did that a few months ago when i left my phone at work overnight but only b/c it was the only completely clear station
You can use an wake-up light alarm system of Philips.
Snoozing button makes dreaming lucid allot easier. So pfffft. I love my 40minutes of lucid dreaming every morning.
your right the dreams seem so vivid..
I like that this message was at 3am :p Yeaa I’m sure lucid dreaming is much more beneficial than being awake.
Going to sleep earlier is a very good thing, so you don’t need that clock to ring before you’ve slept enough.
Some of us finish work until 5am though 🙁 Guess that’s kinda early, maybe the wrong kind…
Best site for figuring out exactly when to go to bed! You can ask it to tell you when to get up or when to go to bed to make a complete set of REM cycles — no more waking up in between REM sleep! http://sleepyti.me/
Did you know a persons body is designed to get 4 hours of sleep twice a day as opposed to one 8 hour sleep… I hate waking up to an alarm, music ect.. I tried putting my alarm clock on the other side of the room but I just get up turn off and go lay down again.. im so tired in mornings that I never wanna het out of bed.. regardless when I go to bed and how much sleep ive had
You don’t even need an alarm, just bang your head on the pillow the amount of times you need to get up, ie six times for. Six o’clock etc…. You will awake there or there abouts, works every day fir me. 🙂
A wake up light changed my life forever. I wake up from the light and not sounds. No snoozing at all and I feel alot more awake.
I use a wake-up light system of Philips. You set the alarm-time and the next morning the wake-up system begins to give a little light (beginning at a half hour before the alarm-time).This light is getting brighter and brighter within half an hour. Then the alarm begins to sound (for example birds singing). But, I’m always awake before the alarm sound goes off, because of the light. It’s like waking up due to the sun going up. Very natural. And it gives more energy, cause your eyes are slowly getting used to the upcoming brightness of the wake-up light (through your eyelids). It works perfect.
Which model do you use?
Philips HF3510/01
Which model do you use ? I’d like to buy one
I use the alarm to get me up to start the coffee pot and let the dog out. Then I get 15 minutes of snuggle time with my wife before she has to get up and prepare for work. We do enjoy the quiet snuggle time. I will take a 22 minute nap in the afternoon before she comes home from work.
Me and my girlfriend haven’t used a alarm for over a year now! We travel the world and never been happier 🙂
Wake up to the circle of life every day one of the best decisions i’ve ever made.
I leave the window slight opened before I sleep..so when the sun shines..I find its beautiful light on my face..acting as a natural alarm clock..Try it..could work with u too..