2024-10-26 18:02:00
Every day, when the alarm goes off, the world is divided into two categories: the morning people, those who get up without difficulty, after having slept the sleep of the righteous for a good eight hours. And the others, who, with foggy heads, snooze frantically and turn off their alarm once, twice, three, even ten times. With the idea of grabbing a few minutes of sleep that they hope is restorative.
Despite this, snoozers still often wake up with their heads in a mess, with the unpleasant feeling of being drunk with fatigue and not having had enough sleep. Fortunately, this weekend, everyone will be able to sleep an hour more during the transition to winter time (at 3 a.m., on the night of Saturday to Sunday, it will be 2 a.m.). But our sleep debt will quickly regain its rights and so will our tendency to snooze. So is constantly postponing your alarm really a good idea? Who are most likely to do so? And is it safe for sleep and health?
“Very typical of “night owls”
This tendency to snooze, “it’s very typical of “late night owls”, who go to bed after 1 a.m., explains Dr. Maxime Elbaz, doctor in neuroscience and scientific director of sleep at BioSerenity. This causes a phase delay: a disruption in the circadian rhythm that causes a mismatch between the person’s internal clock and their social constraints – such as getting up early to go to work. These people have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning and are more fragile than “normodorers”, who go to bed before 11 p.m. and wake up rather easily at 7 a.m. the next day.
Thus, “there is a trend among people with a later chronotype [les couche-tard lève-tard] to be more likely to be tired, because they interrupt their sleep cycle: the alarm goes off, they cannot wake up and press the snooze button, and they fragment their sleep,” continues Dr. Elbaz.
A fatigue which can also be explained by the fact that the French sleep poorly and too little, “on average 1h30 less than fifty years ago”, recalls Inserm. And in practice, in France, almost half “(45%) of 25-45 year olds consider that they sleep less than they need,” continues the scientific research organization.
“The more we snooze, the less we recover”
Enough to make the temptation to hang out in bed in the morning even greater. in practice, according to a study published in 2014 by a manufacturer of connected objects, 64% of French people snooze every morning. Problem: the more we snooze, the more we suffer. “The more you snooze – once, three times, ten times, the more tired you are going to be, because you are going to wake up in a half-sleep,” warns Dr. Elbaz. And there it is between you and your luck: “it depends on the phase of sleep you are in when your alarm goes off”. In practice, each night of sleep “corresponds to a succession of 3 to 6 successive cycles, 60 to 120 minutes each,” explains Inserm. A cycle itself consists of an alternation of slow-wave sleep [léger, puis profond] and paradoxical sleep. Light slow-wave sleep marks the transition from wakefulness to falling asleep, during which one is drowsy. “Deep slow-wave sleep helps with physical and metabolic recovery or even recovery of the immune system, it is the most recuperative, and it is difficult to wake up during this phase,” describes Dr. Elbaz. This is followed by paradoxical sleep, the sleep during which we dream.”
However, once morning comes, “if the alarm goes off during the paradoxical sleep phase, we feel in good shape, and the snooze effect is zero,” reassures the sleep specialist. Because physiologically, at the end of the night (without an alarm), we wake up from a paradoxical sleep phase. There, in general, we have clear ideas because we have finished our last sleep cycle.” But if the alarm rings “during a phase of deep slow-wave sleep, we will have sleep inertia,” continues Dr. Elbaz.
What is sleep inertia and what does it cause? “Deep slow-wave sleep, as its name suggests, is very deep, which means that it is difficult to emerge if the alarm rings during this phase: we do not have clear ideas, we feel drunk with sleep, replies Dr. Elbaz. So we snooze, but it’s a vicious circle: the more we snooze, the less we recover.” In practice, “the sleep you get between alarms is fragmented and of poor quality, confirms the NGO AARP Dr. Shelby Harris, clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. Instead of getting restful sleep, you fall into lighter stages of sleep, which can make you feel even more groggy when you finally get up.”
Improve your sleep hygiene
However, “over time, this can lead to poor sleep hygiene and increased daytime sleepiness, which can have a negative impact on your overall health and energy levels,” she warns. “Hence the importance of getting up as soon as the alarm rings,” insists Dr. Elbaz. Especially since lack of sleep can be supplemented, if possible, with a short nap. If you can, it’s better to set your alarm as late as possible but get up suddenly.” And if you’re the type to snooze without even realizing it, you can force yourself to get up by putting your alarm clock (and therefore your smartphone for the majority of us) at a good distance, in a place in the room where you have to get up from your bed to turn it off.
“We can also use a dawn simulator, which anticipates waking up with an increasing diffusion of light to prepare for waking up and being in good shape,” suggests Dr. Elbaz. But to get up better, we also need to go to bed better, “by improving our sleep hygiene and establishing a bedtime ritual,” he prescribes. Simple and more effective measures than sleeping pills, which we all know: no screens in the evening to avoid falling asleep, no coffee after 2 p.m., exercise during the day, and know go to bed earlier to meet our needs and avoid the snooze effect. All this will help improve sleep and wake up optimally.”
Sleep, “the best natural medicine”
And since “sleep is prepared while you are awake,” insists Dr. Elbaz, “it is important, in the morning, to expose yourself to natural light for a few minutes, to block the secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone. When night owls/late risers get up too early for their natural rhythm and still feel foggy, it’s because they still have high melatonin levels. If they block its secretion when they wake up, they will settle back into a more “normal” rhythm, and go to bed less late.”
Simple rules which may however seem restrictive to some. But the game is worth it: “sleep is the best natural medicine,” insists the sleep specialist. However, to date, nearly one in five French people suffer from insomnia, reports the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INSV). However, “numerous studies have described the long-term impact of lack of sleep on health: beyond a deterioration in the quality of life, it aggravates the symptoms of somatic or psychiatric illnesses such as chronic pain, type 2 diabetes or depression, underlines Inserm. It is also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular accidents, obesity, hypertension, and psychiatric illnesses.”
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Interview with Dr. Maxime Elbaz: Understanding the Snooze Habit and Its Impact on Our Sleep
Editor: Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Elbaz. It’s great to have you here. Let’s dive right in. Many people hit the snooze button every morning, putting off their wake-up time multiple times. Why do you think this habit is so common?
Dr. Elbaz: Thank you for having me! The snooze habit is indeed very common, especially among “night owls,” those who tend to stay up late and struggle with waking up early. This can create a disconnect between their internal body clock and social obligations, leading them to hit snooze in an attempt to gain extra sleep. Unfortunately, this leads to fragmented sleep and increased fatigue.
Editor: That’s interesting! You mentioned that this behavior is particularly pronounced in night owls. Can you explain why they’re more prone to snoozing?
Dr. Elbaz: Certainly! Night owls typically go to bed after 1 a.m. This later sleep pattern disrupts their circadian rhythm, making it harder for them to wake up when they need to. The more they hit snooze, the more they interrupt their sleep cycles, particularly the deep slow-wave sleep, which is crucial for physical recovery and mental clarity.
Editor: So, does hitting snooze actually make people feel more tired when they finally get up?
Dr. Elbaz: Yes, exactly! The more one snoozes, the less restorative sleep one achieves. When the alarm interrupts deep sleep, it leads to what’s known as sleep inertia—feeling groggy and disoriented upon waking. This is because you may wake up during an inappropriate stage of sleep, making it very difficult to emerge fully awake.
Editor: That sounds frustrating! For people who struggle with this habit, what changes can they make to improve their morning routine?
Dr. Elbaz: One of the best strategies is to get out of bed immediately when the alarm rings. Placing the alarm clock away from the bed can help motivate people to physically get up to turn it off. Additionally, improving sleep hygiene—like maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and a relaxing bedtime routine—can significantly enhance sleep quality. Tools like dawn simulators can also help ease the waking process by gradually increasing light in the morning.
Editor: Those are practical tips! With the transition to winter time coming up, do you think this might affect people’s snooze habits or overall sleep?
Dr. Elbaz: The extra hour of sleep may offer a temporary reprieve, but many people quickly fall back into old habits of snoozing or not getting enough quality rest. It’s a good reminder to focus on healthier sleep practices to ensure we feel refreshed when we wake.
Editor: Thank you so much, Dr. Elbaz, for sharing your insights. It’s clear that while snoozing may seem harmless, it can significantly impact our health and well-being.
Dr. Elbaz: Thank you for having me! I hope everyone can prioritize their sleep and wake up feeling more energized.
T steps can they take to improve their morning wake-up routine?
Dr. Elbaz: Great question! To combat the snooze habit, it’s essential to improve overall sleep hygiene. This includes having a consistent bedtime routine, avoiding screens before bed, and steering clear of caffeine in the afternoon. Additionally, placing the alarm clock across the room can encourage individuals to actually get up instead of just reaching for the snooze button. Using a dawn simulator, which gradually increases light in the morning, can help signal to the body that it’s time to wake up more gently.
Editor: Those are really practical tips! But what about the psychological aspect? What can someone do mentally to motivate themselves to get out of bed?
Dr. Elbaz: It’s all about mindset! Setting positive intentions for the day or having something enjoyable to look forward to can help. Also, practicing mindfulness and breathing exercises in the morning can shift the mental focus away from grogginess to readiness. The key is to create a positive relationship with waking up rather than viewing it as a chore.
Editor: Those are excellent insights, Dr. Elbaz. Lastly, can you summarize why it’s so important to break the snooze habit for our overall health?
Dr. Elbaz: Absolutely. Breaking the snooze habit is crucial because fragmented sleep can lead to increased daytime sleepiness, reduced cognitive function, and a higher risk of chronic health issues such as obesity and cardiovascular problems. By establishing better waking habits, we can enhance our energy levels and overall well-being, ultimately making sleep the powerful, natural medicine it should be.
Editor: Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, Dr. Elbaz. It’s been a pleasure having you here!
Dr. Elbaz: Thank you for having me! Sleep well!
