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Here’s Why You Must Stop Snoozing Your Alarm?

Like every other night before going to bed, you decide to wake up early in the morning, be productive, and complete more than half of your work by noon. However, not only did you end up staying late, endlessly scrolling social media, but you also kept snoozing your alarm every 5 to 10 minutes when it starts ringing in the morning. Rings a bell? Well, you’re not the only person who struggles with the “snooze button” addiction. Statistics suggest 57% of adults hit the snooze button unaware of its implication on their health. Snoozing your alarm can cause alarming effects on your heart health. Mathew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology at the University of California, suggests that every snooze acts as a cardiovascular assault and leaves your brain confused. Walker, who is also considered one of the foremost sleep experts tells that snoozing your alarm is the worst thing you can do to start your day.

Cultivating a healthy morning routine by learning to quit hitting the snooze button can do wonders for your wellbeing. Fortunately, various alarm clocks and snooze apps are available best for snoozers, helping them wake up without any challenges. Before we deep dive into it, have you ever wondered why we snooze in the first place and the science behind it?

Why Do We Snooze?

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Firstly, waking up with an alarm is an unnatural phenomenon started by industrialization where everyone needs to head to work at the same time.

Our bodies are not programmed to wake up by an alarm clock. Instead, we are designed to complete our REM sleep cycle and wake up naturally to perform our best throughout the day.

Getting deep quality sleep is an essential thing anyone would require to function to the best abilities during the day. After a good sleep, most of us are fresh as flowers in the morning.

While getting that extra 10-20minutes of sleep after hitting the snooze button may seem tempting for some of us, the truth is it leaves you with a feeling of lethargy in the morning.

Those extra minutes leave our brains confused if at all you must be woke up during the next snooze. Thus, it is essential to embrace good sleeping habits, sleep and wake up naturally without snooze, if not without an alarm clock by the side of your bed.

So let’s learn more about why you must not hit the snooze button and how to quit snoozing once and for all.

Why Must You Stop Snoozing Your Alarm?

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1. Snoozing Messes With Your Sleep Cycle

There is a scientific reason why you need to stop snoozing your alarm clock. However, to understand how snoozing affects the sleep cycle, you must understand how your body reacts once it hits the bed.

1st Phase: Light Sleep Phase

This is the sleep phase, where you start dozing off as soon as you lay down on the pillow. This phase is called the light sleep or non-REM sleep stage.

During this phase, your:
  • Heart starts to slow down.
  • Body temperature drops.
  • The brain produces alpha and delta waves.

2nd Phase: Deep Sleep Phase

After the light sleep, the deep sleep phase kicks in, where the body is mending itself. For example, tissue repairs, building bones/ muscles, and making the immune system stronger are deep sleep functions.

3rd Phase: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) 

The REM phase follows after a deep sleep and is the most vital part of the sleep cycle.

The brain is highly active during this part of sleep. You dream during REM, helping you relax, and thus is crucial to make you feel fresh for the next day.

It goes on for around 90 minutes. Then, the cycle repeats itself until you wake up.

When the alarm goes off, the last REM is about to finish, but when you snooze, you throw yourself into the cycle, which does not complete all the way through, ultimately making you feel tired.

It may also appear that you have not had any sleep at all.

2. Snoozing Messes With Your Body Clock

The human body needs 8 hours of sleep.

Our body’s internal clock prepares us to sleep when we hit the bed.

But when you hit the snooze button after waking up while trying to go back to sleep, the body clock gets confused.

You won’t be sleeping for the next 8 hours!

Consequently, you would be tossing and turning the next night.

One study indicates when the body clock is all messed up, it brings down the immune system by disturbing circadian rhythms at the level of immune cells, causing:

  • frequent colds,
  • stress, and
  • inflammation.

Furthermore, lack of focus and concentration happens when there’s a disruption in the body clock.

Apart from scientific reasons, there are other reasons why you should stop snoozing.

Other Reasons Why You Should Stop Snoozing

1. Quality Over Quantity

It has been established earlier that the quality of sleep matters more than the quantity.

When you give in to the temptation of the quantity of sleep, you would feel agitated the entire day and cause health problems.

A study conducted among 24671 adults explored the health risks of too much sleeping. The results derived from the study found that females sleeping for more extended hours were significantly more likely to have psychiatric diseases and a more significant body mass index.

Therefore, stop the snoozing and make it a habit to get quality sleep instead.

Follow these tips for a good night sleep:

  • Try to sleep in dark conditions,
  • wear loose clothes,
  • and have a clean bed.

2. To Have A Morning Routine

We all know that every successful follows a morning routine.

When you sleep on time and wake up early, you can get so many things done that you wouldn’t otherwise have the time for those activities.

While it is good to have a good morning routine, don’t just rush for school/work the moment you wake up.

You want to make sure that the morning routine you follow is helping you recharge for the day ahead.

  • For example, you can make your to-do list for the day,
  • read a newspaper,
  • have a healthy meal,
  • or do some meditation.

Having a healthy morning routine can help you in many ways, both mentally and physically. Besides, when you make sure that you do not hit the snooze button, you make a conscious decision to take charge of your life.

3. To Learn, Plan and Prioritize

When you have decided not to snooze, you need to plan accordingly.

If you want to get up at 6:15 a.m. or 7.00 a.m., you need to sleep by 10:00 p.m. at most and plan the next day accordingly.

For example, preparing your clothes and planning the household chores will save you from last-minute stress. Also, don’t forget to time block time for every task you’d have to do the next day.

Planning to get up when your alarm goes off helps you prioritize your task for the day.

4. Fresh And Committed Day

You woke up later, and now you can’t seem to function well throughout the day. So instead, you’re more cranky and feel tired!

All those thoughts of getting an extra hour of sleep will make you feel fresh and recharged went into vain now. We all have been there!

The fact is the early you wake, provided you’re sleeping early too, you wake up feeling fresh and rejuvenated in the morning.

Moreover, the morning time is a beautiful time to open your creative side. You are fresh and wide awake and ready to take charge of the day.

It helps to take on any challenge that comes your way. With a fresh mind, you can now achieve doing more quality tasks.

Brand new ideas and a fresh mind help you make it through the day happily. But, the choice remains with you to hit or not hit the snooze button.

5. To Start Your Day With A Purpose

Staring your day with a good purpose can set the right mood for the rest of the day. Therefore, it is essential to create a good impact during the first few hours of the day.

Begin by a small mediation, or write down the things you plan to accomplish during the day. By starting the day with purpose, you can be successful in achieving your goals.

And snoozing your alarm will necessarily not set the tone for all this. So it’s better to stop snoozing your alarm in the morning.

How To Stop Snoozing The Alarm Clock?

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You can stop snoozing the alarm and wake up early without any challenges only if you build healthy habits that help manage stress.

According to a Headspace report, periods of sleepiness are associated with levels of stress. Another study from CDC states that a third of Americans aren’t getting the required 7-9 hours of sleep.

So, if your primary reason for snoozing your alarm clock is sleep deprivation, here are some tips for you.

1. Find Your Reason For Waking Up Early

The first step to stopping the snooze addiction is to find at least one reason strong enough to force you out of bed in the morning.

Perhaps you want to work out and get in shape, or maybe you want to finish your studies and work in the first half of the day.

Whatever the reason might be, make sure it propel you to get your ass off and not fill you with dread for starting the day.

2. Ditch Your Alarm, Train To Wake Up After Your Natural Sleep Cycle

The human body is smart enough to set its own sleep cycle. If you hit the bed and wake up at the same time every day, no longer are you dependent on your alarm.

Indeed, it’d be challenging to wake up without the alarm clock initially.

But, this way, you don’t have to force yourself to wake up by listening to the irritating ring of the alarm clock. The human body is extremely intelligent. It knows, learns, and adapts from inputs you give to it.

We all know for a fact, early to bed, early to rise. Hence, follow a good night routine and wake up the moment your eyes open to the morning sunlight.

3. Meditation At Night

A good night’s sleep is all you need to feel like a million bucks while waking up in the morning after.

A study in 2025 by JAMA International Medicine explored the profound benefits mindfulness meditation has on 49 adults with moderate sleep issues. The task required the participants to engage in mindfulness meditation or sleep hygiene education for six weeks.

The study discovered that participants who meditated experiences fewer sleep issues like insomnia symptoms and low daytime fatigue.

Therefore, meditation helps enhance sleep quality, ultimately waking you up with a fresh mood in the morning.

4. Have An Early Supper

Did you know having a late supper puts an unnecessary burden on your digestive system?

The digestive system, which should be resting by the time you go to sleep, will function all night due to late-night dinner, leading to poor sleep quality.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, meal timing appears to be a possible risk factor for nocturnal awakenings and disturbed sleep.

So, avoid late-night snacking and complete your dinner 3 hours before hitting the sack.

5. Place The Alarm Clock Away From The Bed

When you keep the alarm on the bedside table, you’re permitting yourself to hit the snooze button every time it goes off.

Instead, putting the alarm clock somewhere away from the bed would be a wise choice because once you’re up and walking, there’s no way you’re going back to sleep again.

Best Alarm Clock For Snoozers

Do you have difficulty waking up? Are you constantly snoozing your alarm? Don’t worry! 

There are many apps to help you wake up and stop snoozing your alarm. Here are some best alarm clocks for snoozers:

1. Wake N Shake Alarm Clock

In order to turn off the alarm, you have to shake your phone as hard as you can until you’ve successfully filled up the shake meter. If you slow down the hand motion, you’ll lose progress and have to shake even longer.

2. Sleep Cycle

This alarm app analyses your sleep cycle. First, you have to set a preferred wake-up time. Based on this, the app wakes you up at the time when you’re in your lightest sleep state. Next, the app uses the microphone to pick up rustling sounds of you on your bed and calculates how deep you are sleeping based on this.

3. Alarmy

This is one of the highest-rated Playstore alarm apps. To turn off the alarm, you have to either solve a math puzzle or click a picture (you will need to pre-set a photo of a location of your choice).

4. I Can’t Wake Up 

This app features eight different Wake-Up Tasks: math problems, a memory match game, a tile puzzle game, a sequence repeat game, a word pairing game, a barcode scan, typing randomized text, and device shaking.

Concluding Thoughts,

Those stolen moments, those sinful extra minutes that you get to sleep after the alarm goes off, are thrilling and yet so harmful. Do not fall into the trap of snooze. Your mind and body will thank you for it later on in life.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, weak immune systems are all because of unhealthy sleep patterns. It takes up some work, but it is not that difficult.

Try to plan and work on the quality of your sleep and refrain from hitting the snooze button! It’s not adding any good.

Key Takeaways On How To Stop Snoozing

  • Cultivating a healthy morning routine by learning to quit hitting the snooze button can do wonders for your wellbeing
  • Mathew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology at the University of California, suggests that every snooze acts as a cardiovascular assault and leaves your brain confused. He also tells that snoozing your alarm is the worst thing you can do to start your day.
  • Statistics show that 57% of Americans hit the snooze button without being aware of its health implications.
  • The “snooze addiction” messes with our body clock and leaves our brains confused.
  • One study also demonstrates a poor body clock weakening the immune system by disturbing circadian rhythms at the level of immune cells.
  • Another reason for waking up early without snoozing the alarm is sleeping longer hours can likely result in psychiatric diseases and a more significant body mass index.
  • Also, when you become a morning person, you have plenty of time in your hands to plan and prioritize tasks throughout the day.
  • You also get to wake up with a fresh mind and a purpose.
  • Start your day with a purpose – To wake up early without hitting the alarm clock’s snooze button, having a reason will help.
  • Place the alarm clock away from the bed – This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of snoozing and help you get out of the bed.
  • Train to wake up after your natural sleep cycleHuman body is smart enough to wake up without an alarm clock; it knows, learns, and adapts from inputs you give to the brain. So, start by sleeping on time, and your brain will wake up after your sleep cycle is over.
  • Mindfulness meditation – Several research studies also show that mindfulness meditation enhances sleep quality and helps you wake up on time without snoozing.
  • Have an early supper – According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, meal timing appears to be a possible risk factor for nocturnal awakenings and disturbed sleep. So avoid late-night snacking and complete your dinner 3 hours before hitting the sack.
  • In addition, apps like Wake N Shake Alarm Clock, Sleep Cycle, Alarmy, I Can’t Wake Up can help you wake up and stop snoozing your alarm.
  • Here’s How To Become A Morning Person And Wake Up Early?
  • 7 Morning Tricks That Can Make You Happier Everyday

How to stop snoozing your alarm?

  • Find a reason for waking up early.
  • Wake up the moment your eyes open to the morning light.
  • Practice mindfulness meditation at night.
  • Eat your dinner 3 hours before bedtime.
  • Place the alarm clock away from the bed.

What is the best alarm clock for snoozers?

  • Wake N Shake
  • Sleep Cycle
  • Alarmy
  • I Can’t Wake Up
  • Ruggie

Do you also snooze your alarm? How did you get rid of this habit of snoozing? Which are the best and most effective alarm clocks for snoozers?

Drop your comments below and share your thoughts with us. Also, do not forget to subscribe to us for more interesting articles.

You can also follow us on our social media channels for more updates.

Preeti Bhandari
Preeti Bhandari
Preeti B lives in Canada with her two boys, who keep her on her toes. Content writing and paper quilling are two art forms that she is passionate about. She loves to express herself through these two mediums. Apart from these, listening to music and reading books are the hobbies that take her to a different zone.

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