The function of the sleep button: activating this feature causes the device to go into a low-power state, temporarily interrupting operations until it's activated again.
Alarm Snooze Negatively Affects Sleep Quality, Especially REM Sleep
Many individuals find themselves reaching for the snooze button in the mornings, but a study led by sleep researcher Rebecca Robbins of Harvard Medical School found this practice may not be beneficial. Published in the journal "Scientific Reports," the study analyzed data from over 21,000 users of the "Sleep Cycle" app over approximately three million nights.
According to the study, people used the snooze function in nearly 56% of nights, with nearly half of them pressing the button more than 80% of the time. On these days, they slept an average of about 20 minutes more. Overall, users of the app slept an additional 11 minutes per day.
Those who pressed the snooze button in the morning typically did so multiple times. On average, people in Sweden used the snooze function 2.7 times on such days, while those in Germany and the US averaged 2.5 times, and individuals in Japan and Australia pressed it 2.2 times. Women tend to use the snooze button slightly more often than men, averaging about 2.5 times compared to 2.3 times for men.
The researchers explain that snoozing disrupts some of the most important sleep phases, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is essential for restorative rest. The hours just before waking are rich in REM sleep, and hitting the snooze button interrupts these crucial sleep phases, usually only offering light sleep between the snooze alarms.
Instead of relying on the snooze button, the researchers recommend uninterrupted sleep. To get the best possible sleep, they suggest setting your alarm for the latest possible time and then getting out of bed when the first alarm goes off.
Experts generally recommend seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can affect mental health, increase the risk of heart disease, and reduce cognitive performance.
In summary, snoozing can negatively impact sleep quality by fragmenting and interrupting critical stages of sleep, particularly REM sleep. This practice leads to increased grogginess, poor sleep quality, and erratic sleep patterns overall, particularly for women who use it more frequently. The best practice is to set your alarm for the latest possible wake-up time and get up immediately when it rings.
Snoozing disrupts not only the quality of sleep but also specific sleep stages, such as REM sleep, which is vital for restorative rest. To maintain good health-and-wellness, a nightly dose of seven to nine hours of uninterrupted education-related sleep, including REM sleep, is essential. This will help reduce the risks of mental health issues, heart disease, and cognitive decline.
