Why “Just 5 More Minutes” Isn’t Helping Your Sleep
We’ve all been there. Your alarm goes off, and your hand somehow finds the snooze button before your brain even catches up. Just five more minutes, right?
Turns out, over half of us are habitual snoozers. A recent study published in Scientific Reports analyzing data from more than 21,000 users of the SleepCycle app found that snoozers hit the button an average of 2–3 times every morning. Some even clocked in at four times per morning—spending up to 20 minutes in a half-awake, half-asleep fog.
It feels like we’re sneaking in a little more rest, but science says otherwise.
Experts warn that repeated snoozing fragments our sleep. The moments right before we wake are when some of the most restorative stages of sleep—especially REM—take place. When you hit snooze, you interrupt that deep, beneficial rest and replace it with light, low-quality sleep. That’s why you often wake up feeling even groggier.
Broken sleep caused by snoozing may worsen sleep inertia, that heavy, sluggish feeling when you first wake up. It can also affect your mood and energy throughout the day.
So, how can you break the snooze habit?
4 Tips to Ditch the Snooze Button for Good:
- Set your alarm for the latest realistic time—maximize uninterrupted sleep.
- Get out of bed right when your alarm goes off—no negotiations!
- Resist checking your phone in bed—it only delays the wake-up process.
- Expose yourself to light—natural or artificial light helps reset your internal clock.
If you’re snoozing every day, especially during the workweek, it might be a sign that your sleep schedule needs adjusting. Going to bed earlier, creating a wind-down routine, and limiting screen time at night can all help.
What we have learned
A good day starts with good sleep—so give your body the rest it truly needs by skipping that snooze.
Dream big, work hard, sleep ambitiously,
Joe Castignani