Back in the 1970s, sleep scientists came up with the official terminology for the alarm clock roulette that some people play every morning. You know the routine: The alarm blares, and you quickly slap the snooze button, maybe more than once, just to get another 10 or 20 minutes of sleep.
Sleep experts dubbed that “drockling,” and recent research says that the practice is counter-productive. Napping for a few minutes after the alarm goes off can actually make you feel more tired and drowsy, and less rested. The process can also mess with your body clock, causing your brain to become confused about what the alarm actually means.
Snooze secrets:
- The Director of Sleep Disorders Research at the Cleveland Clinic says that snoozing disrupts the REM sleep that’s essential for restorative rest. If you interrupt late-stage REM, says Dr. Reena Mehra, your blood pressure and heartbeat can increase.
- Your body has its own natural ways to prepare you to wake up. One is turning up your core temperature, which makes you feel more alert and less sleepy. This starts about two hours before the body is actually ready to wake up.
- According to one survey, more than one in three adults press snooze three times before getting up. The survey also found that more than half of adults in their 20s and early 30s hit the snooze button every morning.
