Hitting the snooze button? It could be bad for you. Here's how to stop

A cold, dark January full of post-festivity fatigue is the perfect recipe for making it harder to get out of bed each morning. And making it more tempting to get that bit more sleep and hit snooze, again, and again, and again.

But while five, 10, or 30 mins extra slumber can be hard to say no to, a recent study of 3,000 participants has revealed that frequent snoozing can lead to chronic sleep deprivation and exacerbate sleep disturbances.

In fact, 57% press the snooze button every morning, while one in four (25%) do so between three and four times daily, and one in 11 (9%) five or more times.

So, to help you fight the vicious cycle that is snoozing, here Dr Katherine Hall, sleep psychologist at Happy Beds, which conducted the survey, shares all you need to know about the dangers it comes with, and how to stop doing it.

The dangers of pressing snooze

Why do we do it in the first place and what are the effects?

"The absence of natural light in the morning disrupts our circadian rhythms [sleep-wake cycle], as our bodies typically respond to waking with daylight. The temptation to hit snooze on a cold, dark morning makes getting out of bed very challenging," says Dr Hall.

"However, reaching for the snooze button can further confuse your circadian rhythm, leaving your body uncertain about when it is time to wake and go to sleep, as it encourages a return to deep sleep.”

She adds, "You're also more likely to have post-holiday fatigue from late-night celebrations and indulgent meals – which just adds to the temptation of hitting snooze.

"But it's not just a harmless extra few minutes – it can lead to chronic tiredness, trouble sleeping, and that groggy feeling, known as sleep inertia [when someone sleeps for long periods and wakes up feeling confused or irritable]. These challenges really highlight the importance of tackling sleep patterns for our overall wellbeing, especially during these transitions and post-holiday tired spells."

While a study in October suggested snoozing once in a while might support the brain's process of waking from deep sleep, researchers still emphasised that everyone is different and the findings should be interpreted with caution as it could send the wrong message, and the priority should still be aiming for a consistent good night's sleep rather than relying on snooze buttons.

Luckily, there are things you can do to help avoid the temptation of pressing snooze. For example, says Rex Isap, CEO at Happy Beds, "Waking up to natural daylight, without any external disturbances, helps regulate your body's circadian rhythm. When you wake up naturally to the light, your body goes through a stress response, and using an alarm can mess with that natural process."

Here, the experts share their simple tips for saying no to the snooze button.

6 tips to stop relying on the snooze button

1. Stop setting multiple alarms to resist the snooze temptation in the first place (but don't forget this is your only chance to get up!)

2. Opt for a soothing alarm tone to ease morning stress (something that doesn't jolt you awake, but wakes you gradually)

3. Make snoozing harder by placing your alarm across the room (this way, you have to get up, so might as well stay up)

4. Kickstart your wake-up by putting your foot out of bed for an instant temperature change (and then you're already half way out of bed...)

5. If you really need to wake up, open the blinds and turn on your ceiling light. This signals to your brain that it’s time to wake up (some people even like to leave their blinds ajar in the night, for light to seep through naturally in the morning)

6. Be realistic with your alarm time to avoid the snooze button; if necessary, test a no-snooze approach for a few days (if you think you're going to need that bit of extra sleep, it might be best to just incorporate it in to the time you set in the first place)

Happy non-snoozing!

Read more on sleep:

• Losing sleep 'puts women at greater risk of diabetes' (Yahoo Life UK, 3-min read)

• Feng shui expert reveals 10 things you should never do if you want a good night's sleep (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)

• What are sleep chronotypes? Understanding them could improve your sleeping habits (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)

Watch: Afternoon slump? Research reveals the top causes