How to Avoid Hitting the Snooze Button
Are you one of the 60 percent of Americans who hit the snooze button every morning? According to a study by the technology firm Withings, we spend a total of 3.5 months of our lives hitting the snooze button instead of bouncing out of bed ready to start the day. Although it may not seem like a big deal to delay your morning routine by a few minutes, those little chunks of sleep can actually make you feel worse. You see, that is not good quality sleep because it does not last long enough for you to complete a full sleep cycle. Don’t delay any longer—here are some helpful ways to break your snooze button habit.
Adjust Your Environment
You can make some simple changes to your environment to help you more easily get up in the morning.
- Place your alarm out of reach. This is the most obvious step in breaking the habit, but so many of us sleep next to an alarm clock or phone on our nightstand. Instead, place your alarm on the other side of the room so when it goes off you are forced to get out of bed.
- Use light to help wake up. Light signals your body that you should be awake, so one trick is to place your alarm clock near a window to remind yourself to open the shade or blinds to let in the natural sunlight when you go over to shut the alarm off. If you need to wake up before the sun rises, turn on the lights in your room or consider purchasing a wake-up light alarm clock.
- Tap into your sense of smell. Experts have discovered that certain scents help us feel more alert and energetic. One of the most common is a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Research found that when rats took a whiff of coffee, certain genes in their brain that help reduce sleep deprivation were activated. Try brewing coffee about 10 minutes before you wake up in a spot near your bedroom so you can smell the aroma. If you are not a coffee drinker, place some essential oils or lotion with citrus, jasmine, peppermint, rosemary, or eucalyptus scents—all known to wake us up—on your night table so you can smell them when your alarm starts buzzing.
Change Your Mindset
Hitting the snooze button in the morning is a choice we make. In many cases, it becomes a psychological crutch because we do not want to face our day. Maybe we are anxious about a long to-do list, dreading a difficult conversation with a friend or relative, or not happy with our job. In these cases, it’s important to explore the reasons behind our inclination to stay in bed. Even if you can’t change your job or avoid that bothersome person in your life, you can change your mindset to be more positive.
- Get motivated: Give yourself a reason to get up in the morning. Make it enjoyable by doing one of your favorite activities like listening to upbeat music, dancing, walking outside, or engaging in a hobby like painting or practicing your golf swing. You can also give yourself fun challenges like training for a charitable run that will keep you on a set morning schedule and push you to get your day going.
- Face anxiety: Many people want to hit the snooze button because they wake up feeling anxious about their day, but spending more time in bed only exacerbates our worries. Know that the snooze button will not make you feel better. Instead, create a morning routine including healthy habits like meditation, exercise, journaling, and positive self-talk.
Get More Rest
Of course, feeling well-rested in the morning will reduce your desire to hit the snooze button. Here are some tips to help you get consistent, restful sleep each night.
- Create a bedtime routine. Establish a relaxing bedtime ritual to follow every night before it’s time to turn out the lights. This can include reading, yoga stretching, mindful breathing, coloring, and other low-key activities.
- Set a regular wake-up time. Waking up at the same time every day helps train your body so you will reduce grogginess in the morning.
- Shut off technology. Technology affects our sleep in a number of ways; for example, the blue light from screens interferes with the sleeping hormone melatonin. Shut down computers, video games, televisions, and other electronic gadgets at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Keep cool. A cool environment is best for promoting sleep. The recommended bedroom temperature for adults is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit and 65 to 70 degrees for young children.
- Limit caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that can last for several hours. Avoid consuming chocolate desserts and caffeinated beverages including soda, coffee, tea, and energy drinks late in the day.
