New research reveals human tendency to hit the snooze button

A study conducted by academics at the University of Notre Dame has drawn a clearer picture of the human proclivity to click the snooze button. The study found that 57 percent of the participants were habitual snoozers. While scientists and medical professionals have long advised against it, the act of snoozing, how often and why we do it remains virtually unstudied. He conducted the research while a postdoctoral researcher at Notre Dame, with Aaron Striegel, a professor of computer science and engineering at Notre Dame. The study surveyed 450 adults with full-time, salaried employment. Participants completed daily surveys and a questionnaire. Data collected from wearable devices measured sleep duration and heart rate. According to the study, females were 50 per cent more likely to snooze than males. Snoozers tracked fewer steps than other respondents and experienced more disturbances during sleeping hours. Stephen Mattingly, lead author of the study said, “Many people are snoozing because so many people are chronically tired.” Mattingly said. He also said, “The body experiences a stress response right before waking. That physiological response contributes to an individual feeling alert when they wake up.” Disrupting natural sleep cycles with an alarm can lead to sleep inertia the feeling of being tired or groggy. Both Striegel and Mattingly say more research is needed to understand any potential negative health impacts of snoozing, and Mattingly emphasized that the best advice is for everyone to sleep as much as their body needs. Still, snoozing may have its benefits. “If you snooze and you're more alert when you get behind the wheel to go to work, that might be a benefit and a useful one,” he said. “If it reduces dependence on caffeine, that's another. Some stress is good that's why we have the fight or flight response. There may be cases when hitting the snooze button is actually beneficial.”