Time running out: Snooze feature widely-used in Germany - Final moments approaching:
Germany's Alarming Trend: The Prevalence of the Snooze Button
Every morning, the snooze button on the alarm clock offers an extra five minutes of slumber—a temptation hard to resist. However, a study published in the journal "Scientific Reports" by a team led by sleep researcher Rebecca Robbins from Harvard Medical School indicates that this habit, especially prevalent in Germany, may be disrupting sleep patterns and potentially impacting health.
The study, which analyzed data from over 21,000 users of the "Sleep Cycle" app, totaling roughly three million nights, found that individuals utilized the snooze function in nearly 56% of their nights. Approximately half of them employed it more than 80% of the time, averaging approximately 20 extra minutes of sleep on those days. Across all app users, the average was 11 minutes per day.
Women were found to use the snooze button more frequently than men. When the snooze button was pressed, it was typically used more than once. The average number of snoozes in Sweden was 2.7 times, compared to 2.5 times each in Germany and the United States. In contrast, Japan and Australia had an average of 2.2 times. Women, on average, used the snooze button slightly more often than men, accounting for 2.5 times versus 2.3 times, respectively. The snooze button was used more frequently on weekdays than weekends.
Robbins explains that the snooze button disrupts crucial sleep phases, particularly the hours before waking that are rich in REM sleep. Activating the snooze button usually results in light, fragmented sleep during the periods between alarms, potentially affecting overall sleep quality and daily performance.
Regular use of the snooze button can contribute to inconsistent sleep schedules and may impact mental health by inducing stress and reducing productivity. Experts generally recommend seven to nine hours of sleep per night, with uninterrupted sleep advised for optimal health benefits.
Sleep deprivation is harmful to health, potentially affecting mental health, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and reducing cognitive performance. To mitigate these risks, experts suggest setting the alarm for the latest possible waking time and exiting bed upon the first alarm's sound.
While the increased use of the snooze button among women has been observed in various studies, offering insights into both the statistics and the implications for health, further research is needed to understand the underlying causes and implications for health. Improved sleep hygiene practices aimed at minimizing snooze button usage may aid in improving overall health and well-being.
- Germany
- Women
- Men
- Boston
- Harvard Medical School
- The study revealed that almost half of the individuals in Germany, especially women, used the snooze button on their alarm clock more than 80% of the time, which could potentially impact their health and daily performance.
- The study published in "Scientific Reports" showed that the practice of frequently using the snooze button, a habit prevalent in Germany, can contribute to inconsistent sleep schedules, potentially affecting mental health, and experts at Harvard Medical School advise against it for optimal health benefits.
