Do you usually hit the “snooze” button when your alarm goes off in the morning? Good news: you’re not alone. These extra Z’s may improve your cognitive abilities when you first wake up, new research suggests.
The results of a study of more than 1,700 adults around the world were published on Wednesday (October 18). sleep research journal69% said they hit the snooze button or set multiple alarms at least “some of the time.”
Then, in an experiment with 31 people who habitually “snoozed,” the study authors found that snoozing improved some of these people’s performance on cognitive tests. . But it didn’t seem to affect their mood, morning sleepiness, or normal increases in the stress hormone cortisol. within the first hour It helps you wake up better and prepare your body for the next day.
“Taking a 30-minute nap in the morning won’t have a big negative impact on your sleep that night or how tired you will feel when you wake up.” Tina SandelinThe study’s lead author, a psychologist at Stockholm University in Sweden, told Live Science in an email. “Studies have shown that for people who are sleepy in the morning, such as night owls, and who find it easier to wake up after dozing off, they may actually be more objectively alert.” [meaning that they performed better on the cognitive tests] “Even if you don’t feel more or less sleepy after dozing off,” she says.
Related: Scientists may have discovered the missing link between heart disease and sleep disorders
Getting good quality sleep is important for us ordinary people. health and happiness, However, many people do not get enough sleep on a regular basis.about one-third of US adults Report sleeping less than 7 hours or more recommended One night. Some people snooze to ease the pain of waking up suddenly or to get a few extra minutes of sleep, but little is known about the health effects of this habit.
A new study asked 1,732 adults about their wake-up habits. People who reported falling asleep at least occasionally slept for about 22 minutes after their first alarm went off, on average. The authors found that these people were about six years younger and nearly four times more likely to be night owls than those who reported never snoozing. They also slept less at night and were more likely to experience sleepiness in the morning than those who didn’t snooze.
Among the 31 people who snoozed regularly in the second phase of the study, 30 minutes of snoozing improved or influenced performance on cognitive tests taken upon waking compared to those who were not allowed to snooze. did not give. These tests included basic arithmetic problems and problems in memorizing lists of words and later recognizing them among new words.
When allowed to snooze, participants were less likely to wake up from the deepest stage of sleep (called . slow wave sleep — than when I had to get up right away. If you wake up during a slow wave, you may experience the following symptoms: sleep inertiarefers to the light-headed feeling you get when your body transitions from sleep to wakefulness.
The study was limited in that the experiment was small and the survey portion relied on people’s self-reports of their sleep and wake habits. But the researchers hope their findings will open the door to future research into people’s waking habits, such as the different ways snoozers wake up.
“Maybe something like a light alarm (one that gradually brightens the room) would work as well, but you wouldn’t wake up suddenly and repeatedly,” Sandelin says. The research team also wants to investigate the potential long-term effects of dozing off, studying “extreme nappers” who snooze for up to two hours each morning, he said.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice.
