Tips To Stop Hitting Snooze Each Morning

If you're a fan of the snooze button, you know how tempting it is to continue sleeping for those extra 10 minutes. Despite how good it may feel, resetting your alarm can actually leave you more tired than when you first woke up, so it's important to figure out ways to ditch the snooze button. Whether you just hit it once or you continue to sleep for two hours, continually falling asleep and getting interrupted during the beginning of your sleep cycle disturbs your rest and can leave you feeling groggy the rest of the day.

"Although you think you might be catching a few more minutes of sleep by hitting snooze, your sleep cycle has already been disrupted by the alarm going off," says sleep expert Dr. Teofilo L. Lee-Chiong over email. "For the chronically sleep deprived, getting more sleep and going to bed earlier will be more helpful than hitting the snooze button."

Waking up right when your alarm goes off can help you not only feel more energized, but it can help you start off your day earlier for a productive and relaxed morning. If you're one to restart your alarm each day, try these 11 tips to stop hitting the snooze button so often.

1. Wake Up At The Optimal Time

Rather than waking yourself up during a deep sleep cycle, set your alarm for the right cycle to wake up feeling refreshed and energized. You can use a bedtime calculator to find the right time, or you can download an app such as "Sleep Cycle" which tracks your sleep through your phone and wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase.

2. Plan An Activity Before Work

"Many of us plan our workdays and what we want to accomplish, but many of us don’t think about the time we need before the workday begins," says Lee-Chiong. "Everyone suffers from a certain degree of sleep inertia (also known as the feeling that makes you want to hit snooze in the morning). Adjusting your wake time in the morning can help ensure that by the time you get to work, you’re alert and ready to take on the day."

3. Establish Regular Bedtime Habits

"The best way to resist the snooze button is to establish a regular bedtime routine," says Lee-Chiong. "To make sure you’re properly preparing for sleep, start by giving yourself ample time to wind down before bed. This means avoiding caffeine and other heavy foods like sugary or spicy meals at least four hours before bedtime."

4. Put Your Alarm Across The Room

"Put your alarm clock across the room, and get up and go over to it to turn it off," says board-certified sleep specialist Michael Breus, PhD over email. It's a lot harder to press snooze over and over again if you have to keep getting out of bed.

5. Find A Pleasant Sound

No one likes the jarring sound of an alarm in the morning, so it's no surprise you want to hit snooze as soon as possible when awoken by an unpleasant ringing. Switch your alarm to a gentler, more gradual sound, and you won't be in such a rush to make the noise stop.

6. Expose Yourself To Light

"Sunrise is what signals our biological clock to awaken, so keep your bedroom dark at night and allow natural daylight to come in [in the morning,]" says productivity strategist Peggy Sealfon over email. "If you must rely on an alarm clock, try a progressive light device that will allow you to wake up slowly and quietly with just the influence of increasing light levels."

7. Get More Sleep

We snooze because we are tired, so it only makes sense that if we get enough sleep, we won't be as tempted to prolong our alarms. Aim for at least seven and a half to eight hours of sleep per night, according to WebMD.

8. Set Your Alarm At The Last Possible Moment

Most of us set our alarms earlier than we need to get up in anticipation of pressing snooze, but we'll feel less inclined to sleep more longer if we feel well-rested. "Set your alarm for the last possible moment, so you get all the refreshing sleep you need," says Breus.

9. Wake Up At The Same Time Every Day

"Have a sleep routine in which you get up at the same time every day," says Sealfon. "The body will get more quality rest, and your mind will be more conditioned to your sleep timing. In the end, you'll find the snooze button becomes superfluous and, if you use an alarm, you'll likely awaken before it ever sounds."

The less you hit snooze, the more refreshed, energized, and productive you'll feel each morning.

Images: Pixabay (10)