Hey there! I’m Craig, and today we’re diving into a question from Mitra Mirpour: “Does hitting the snooze button and grabbing a few extra minutes of sleep actually help?” Well, let me tell you, it didn’t help me much—I’m still feeling tired!
You might have read articles saying that hitting the snooze button isn’t great for you and can make you feel even more tired. But, as with many things, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Let’s explore why!
Many sleep experts advise against using the snooze button. They suggest setting your alarm for the actual time you need to wake up. This way, you avoid the grogginess that often follows hitting snooze. Interestingly, there haven’t been many scientific studies on snooze button effects, so we don’t have a clear answer yet.
Some people think hitting snooze can make you feel more tired for a couple of reasons. Our sleep cycles are connected to neurotransmitters. When we sleep, serotonin is released, making sleep feel good. As we get ready to wake up (after 7-9 hours), our body releases dopamine to help us wake up. If you wake up and then go back to sleep, this cycle can get messed up, making it harder to wake up later.
There might be more serious side effects to hitting snooze. A study from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 found a link between using the snooze button and health issues like weight gain and heart disease. Dr. David Dinges, who led the study, said that using the snooze button disrupts the last bit of sleep instead of just setting your alarm for a later time.
On the other hand, sleep expert Dr. Edward Stepanski thinks hitting snooze isn’t so bad, especially if you’ve already had eight hours of sleep. Some people just handle it better than others because everyone is different.
Let’s be real—hitting the snooze button doesn’t always feel like a choice. Sometimes we do it without even thinking. This is because of something called sleep inertia, which is morning grogginess caused by waking up suddenly. It takes time for the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, to wake up with us. So, if you keep hitting snooze, you can blame it on sleep inertia. Just don’t expect your boss to accept that excuse!
Thanks for joining me on this exploration of the snooze button mystery. If you have a big question you’d like answered, leave it in the comments below. See you next time!
Imagine you’re a sleep expert. Prepare arguments for and against the use of the snooze button. Pair up with a classmate and hold a debate. This will help you understand different perspectives and the complexity of the snooze button debate.
Track your sleep patterns for a week. Set your alarm for the exact time you need to wake up without hitting snooze. Record how you feel each morning. Compare your findings with classmates to see if avoiding the snooze button makes a difference.
Conduct research on the effects of sleep inertia and how it impacts decision-making. Present your findings to the class in a short presentation. This will deepen your understanding of why we hit the snooze button.
Write a short story from the perspective of someone who relies heavily on the snooze button. Explore how it affects their daily life and health. Share your story with the class to discuss the potential consequences of this habit.
Read about the potential health concerns linked to snooze button use, such as weight gain and heart disease. Discuss with your classmates how these findings might influence your morning routine and overall health.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m Craig. Hang on, I’m going to hit the snooze button, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, I’m going to answer Mitra Mirpour’s big question: “Does hitting the snooze button and getting those few extra minutes of sleep actually help?” Well, it didn’t help me; I’m still tired.
You’ve probably seen many articles about how the snooze button is not beneficial and can make us feel even more tired, but as usual, things are a little more complicated than that. Let’s get started!
A lot of sleep experts are against the snooze button. Most of them recommend setting the alarm for the actual time that you’ll wake up instead of giving yourself time to hit the snooze button in the morning. That way, you won’t risk the grogginess that usually follows hitting snooze. Surprisingly, though, there haven’t been many scientific studies on the effects of hitting the snooze button, so there’s no definite conclusion yet.
Some believe that it might make you feel more tired for a couple of reasons. We know that neurotransmitters are connected to sleep cycles. When we fall asleep, a lot of serotonin is released into our bloodstream, which is why sleep is so enjoyable. However, when we’re about ready to wake up (after 7-9 hours), the body starts to release more dopamine into the bloodstream, preparing us to wake up. If you wake up suddenly and then go back to sleep, this cycle can get disrupted, making it even harder to wake up afterward.
There are potentially more serious side effects to the snooze button, too. One study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 found a connection between hitting the snooze button in the morning and health problems, such as weight gain and heart disease. According to Dr. David Dinges, who conducted the study, “When we use the snooze button, we are effectively disrupting the final 10, 20, or 30 minutes of sleep instead of just setting your clock another half hour later.”
However, there’s another perspective. Sleep fragmentation expert Dr. Edward Stepanski has claimed that hitting the snooze button isn’t so bad, especially for people who’ve already gotten eight hours of sleep. In general, some people just handle it better than others because everyone is different.
Let’s be honest, though. Hitting the snooze button doesn’t always feel like a conscious choice. Sometimes we do it without even realizing it. There’s a reason for that. When we wake up sooner than we’d like, we sometimes experience what’s known as sleep inertia. This is morning grogginess that’s impacted by how suddenly we’ve been awoken. It takes a while for the prefrontal cortex to wake up in the morning with us, and that’s the part of the brain connected to decision-making. So, if you’ve been hitting the snooze button more than you’d like, just blame it on sleep inertia. Your boss probably won’t accept that as an excuse.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube, which is made with the help of all these nice experts. If you have a Big Question of your own that you’d like answered, leave it in the comments below. See you next week!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Snooze – To sleep lightly or for a short period, often used to describe a brief nap. – After studying for hours, Maria decided to take a quick snooze to refresh her mind.
Sleep – A natural state of rest for the body and mind, during which consciousness is suspended and bodily functions slow down. – Getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining good mental and physical health.
Tired – Feeling a need to rest or sleep, often due to physical or mental exertion. – After the long hike, Jake felt extremely tired and needed to rest.
Health – The state of being free from illness or injury, encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being. – Regular exercise and a balanced diet are important for maintaining good health.
Experts – Individuals with extensive knowledge or ability in a particular area, often consulted for their opinions or advice. – Health experts recommend at least eight hours of sleep for teenagers to function optimally.
Cycles – Repeated sequences of events or processes, often referring to the stages of sleep or biological rhythms. – The sleep cycles of REM and non-REM are essential for restorative rest.
Serotonin – A neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness, and helps regulate sleep. – Low levels of serotonin can affect mood and sleep patterns.
Dopamine – A neurotransmitter that plays a role in how we feel pleasure and is involved in motivation and reward. – Exercise can increase dopamine levels, improving mood and energy.
Inertia – A tendency to remain inactive or unchanged, often used to describe difficulty in starting or stopping activities. – Sleep inertia can make it hard to wake up and feel alert in the morning.
Grogginess – A state of feeling drowsy or sluggish, often experienced upon waking. – She felt grogginess after waking up from a deep sleep, needing a few minutes to fully wake up.
