Scientist explains why you should never hit the snooze button
A scientist has explained why you should never hit the snooze button and the reason is pretty fascinating.
New York Times bestseller Mel Robbins, known for her her TEDx talk 'How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over' offered some advice on sleep cycles and what to avoid when it comes to the dreaded snooze button smash.
Explaining the 'neuroscience' behind the all-too-relatable phenomenon, Robbins explained the ins and outs of 'sleep inertia' and why it makes us so groggy.
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Speaking on The Mel Robbins Podcast, the neuroscientist began: "Do you want to know the scientific reason why you should never hit the snooze button?"
"Let me hit you with some neuroscience here. Two words: sleep inertia."
Robbins went on to explain: "When you hit the snooze button, you're awake. And as the alarm turns off, your brain then drifts back into sleep.
"And here's the thing that researchers have figured out: when you drift back to sleep after you've woken up, your brain starts a sleep cycle, and sleep cycles take 75 to 90 minutes to complete."
Robbins then described that inevitable situation we unfortunately know all too well when your alarm goes off again after 'nine minutes' from first hitting the snooze button.
"Have you ever noticed you're like in deep sleep when you drift back to sleep?" she continued. "That's because you're nine minutes into a 75 minute sleep cycle."
She also stated that the 'groggy, exhausted feeling' you get during that period is 'not a function of how well you slept'.
"That's you and me being an idiot for hitting the snooze button and putting our brain in a state of sleep inertia," she concluded.
Many people have since taken to social media to share their reactions to the advice.
Some were clearly thankful for the helpful lifestyle tip with one Instagram user writing: "She's right it happened to me today."
"Wow," added another, while a third said: "Thank you."
Others, however, decided to decline the expert's advice.
"Stop telling me how to live my life," joked one Instagram user. "YOU’RE NOT MY REAL MOM! I’ll snooze for the full hour then be late for work, thank you very much."
A second commented: "Let me break it down to you dear scientist... I hit that snooze button as long as my bladder can hold back pee from the night before."
A third added: "Imma hit that snooze button about five times."
"That's stupid," declared a final Instagram user. "The snooze can be the best 10 minutes of sleep 2nd snooze is better. It makes one feel super."
Well, that's for sure.
Rhiannon Ingle