The Snooze Button Epidemic

Picture this: You wake up on just another Thursday to your noisy and annoying alarm clock. So, per usual, you hit the snooze button. It’s honestly just the daily routine at this point. You try to dodge, or deflect, waking up to another day and with that, all your responsibilities that come along with it. NBC News records that 69% of adults hit the snooze button at least sometimes, particularly on weekdays. So, it is more than likely that you, the reader, hit the snooze button on occasion.

This is exactly what I want to look into today. First, I want to explore what exactly I mean by the Snooze Button Epidemic. Then, I will provide you with some evidence as to why this is an epidemic, and not just a minor issue. Finally, I will delve into some creative strategies for a more energized and productive morning routine.

It’s not merely about that extra nine minutes of sleep, it’s a symptom of a larger struggle: a battle between comfort and responsibility. It's the hesitation to face the day head-on and to confront the challenges waiting in the wings. While nine more minutes of sleep sounds like an insignificance, it is the difference between starting your day with a sense of purpose or falling victim to your unwillingness to take on life and all it has to offer. It is really just a form of procrastination. If we hit that snooze button every single day and procrastinate our days, why would we not go ahead and procrastinate all our real and important responsibilities? According to HabitStrong, procrastination is a dysfunctional coping mechanism of anxiety, which makes sense when you really think about it. If you are anxious about anything really, then you could definitely, whether you mean to or not, procrastinate in other parts of your life in an attempt to deal with it. Therefore, in order to take care of the procrastination, we need to deal with that anxiety first.

This process begins with acknowledging that the Snooze Button Epidemic is not just about waking up, it’s about starting the day with intention. Imagine, you are back in that same scenario I described earlier, but this time, when the alarm beeps and beeps, you turn it off with excitement as you get ready to embark on your daily adventure.

In 2022, the journal Sleep reported that “Snoozers tend to experience lighter sleep, especially in the hour before waking, and have elevated resting heart rates relative to non-snoozers.” The study continues to say that these results suggest that their stress responses kicked into gear before waking up in the morning.

One thing you can do (without much work) is establish what I like to call a Sunrise Ritual. This is simply something positive you do every morning to help you transition from a time of sleep and mental relaxation to the day ahead of you. It can be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee, doing some morning stretches or yoga, or even taking a brief stroll around the block. Another thing you can do is insert meditation into your morning routine. In a new study by the Yale School of Medicine, positive links were discovered between meditation and certain brain functions. Some of these functions include anxiety (ding ding ding), ADHD, and schizophrenia. So, a simple 10-minute meditation session in the morning has a definite chance of decreasing anxiety, leading to less procrastination, and therefore, helping you get up in the morning.

Another thing you can do is harness technology and utilize it to your advantage in the morning. First, change that obnoxious beeping noise to something more calming and positive for the morning – that part is up to you. Next, you have to set the scene. These days, it’s quite simple to set up automatic curtains and have them open simultaneously when the alarm goes off. Not only does this make it harder to fall back asleep, but it also lets sunlight flood your room in the morning and sets a pleasing mood.

One last thing, which is honestly quite an obvious fix to the snoozing problem, is simply going to bed earlier. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 3 Americans do not get enough sleep. The findings of the study suggest snoozing may be how some people battle their exhaustion. So going to bed earlier could definitely compensate for this.

I hope I have shown you today that snoozing is scientifically proven to have negative effects on you and your livelihood. Breaking free from the Snooze Button Epidemic requires a major shift in perspective. By embracing Sunrise Rituals, leveraging technology thoughtfully, and even just going to bed earlier, you can turn your mornings into a source of positive energy and productivity.