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Stopping the Snooze Habit

By Donna Stark

You may think that hitting the snooze button every morning is giving you some extra minutes of precious sleep, but science says you are wrong. The cycle of waking up and hitting the snooze button over and over again not only delays the inevitable, but actually does more harm than good. And by engaging in this song and dance with your alarm clock, you are only making yourself feel worse for the day ahead. It's time to kick your snooze habit once and for all, but first, let's understand why it doesn't help.

Stop the Snooze Habit

A sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, so unless you are snoozing for that amount of time, you aren't fitting in a complete round of rest. And since most snooze periods are set to last for under 10 minutes, the only thing that is happening is that your sleep stages are constantly interrupted. As a result of those disruptions, the following are likely to happen throughout your day.

  • Fatigue
  • Grogginess
  • Lack of mental clarity
  • Inability to concentrate and focus
  • Slower reaction times
  • Poor memory
  • Affected judgment
  • Impaired productivity

Train Your Brain

Hitting that snooze button is good for one thing and one thing only. And that is the vicious cycle it creates. The more you hit it, the more you train your brain to want it and that is the opposite result you need in the morning. The better solution is to set your alarm for the last possible minute before you need to get out of bed and then do just that ... get out of bed! Here are some suggestions on how to create better waking habits.

  • Place your alarm somewhere that's hard to reach, preferably where you would need to get out of bed to turn it off
  • Give yourself a reason to wake up, such as a fitness class, a special breakfast, or a coffee date
  • Change your alarm sound so you don't become immune to hearing the same thing day after day
  • Engage your other senses by setting your coffee to brew a few minutes before the alarm goes off or by using an alarm that turns a light on
  • Establish a healthy bedtime routine so you aren't sleep-deprived when morning comes around

Improve Your Days

Stop counting on fragmented sleep to get you through your day! Skip the snooze button and wake up as soon as your alarm goes off. Then get moving! Make a healthy breakfast, grab your cup of coffee, and be prepared for an amazing day ahead of you!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Bellevue, Wash.

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