Guilty pleasure sleep habit could boost brain power and make you 'more awake'

03 December 2023 , 08:13

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Getting an extra five minutes in bed might not be as we thought (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images)

Sleep experts have revealed that the one thing we're all guilty of in the morning isn't actually as bad for us as we may have originally thought

Getting up in the morning, especially in the colder months, can feel like a mammoth task. Coming out from under the covers into the cold is something no one enjoys, so hitting snooze on our alarm clock is very tempting.

Prior to the contrary belief that hitting snooze is damaging us, it's now been revealed that it might not be as bad as we thought - and it could actually be boosting brain power.

So good news for those guilty of hitting snooze, as recent research by scientists in Sweden and Australia has studied 31 sleepers who regularly hit snooze. According to the Huffington Post, the study found that the 30 minutes extra snoozers get from hitting the snooze button "actually boosted and improved their cognitive abilities" or had "no negative impact" compared to those who will get up abruptly and straight away.

The co-author of the study, Tina Sundelin from Stockholm University, explained : "The findings indicate that there is no reason to stop snoozing in the morning if you enjoy it, at least not for snooze times around 30 minutes, in fact, it may even help those with morning drowsiness to be slightly more awake once they get up."

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The study also found that those who reach for the snooze button could also be "benefitting from an easier wake-up" from a lighter part of the sleep cycle, rather than "being abruptly thrust out of the deep sleep part of a REM cycle" and getting up straight away. The scientists also found that the fans of the snooze button tend to be younger people who are more evening-oriented than morning-oriented and will snooze for around 22 minutes.

So after being told it was bad to keep hitting snooze, it's been found that there are no differences in waking up straight away compared to those who will give themselves a few more extra minutes of sleep. So when it comes to factors such as morning sleepiness, mood, and stress, there were no changes.

Niamh Kirk