Archive · 20 May 2025
Study: Snoozing Interrupts Sleep, May Hinder Memory & Emotion
Imagine your brain is like a car, and sleep is like a pit stop.
Snoozing is like starting and stopping the car over and over again during the pit stop.
When you snooze, you're not getting good quality sleep because you keep waking up a little bit.
This is like your brain getting cut off from important sleep, like REM sleep, which helps with remembering things and dealing with feelings.
Experts say it's better to set your alarm for the last possible moment and then get out of bed right away to feel more refreshed.
A study analyzed over 3 million sleep sessions using data from the Sleep Cycle app.
Nearly 56% of sleep sessions involved hitting the snooze button.
Snoozing interrupts the crucial REM sleep stage important for memory and emotional processing.
Snoozing is most common during the work week, especially from Monday to Friday.
Experts recommend setting the alarm for the latest possible time and getting out of bed when it first goes off.
- Who
- The study analyzed data from over 21,000 people around the world.
- What
- A new study suggests hitting the snooze button might negatively impact your sleep quality.
- When
- Snoozing is most common during the work week, from Monday to Friday.
- Where
- The study was conducted and published by researchers from Mass General Brigham.
- Why
- Snoozing interrupts REM sleep, which is vital for memory and emotional processing, leaving you feeling groggier.
- Number of Participants
- Over 21,000
- Percentage of Sleep Sessions Snoozed
- 56%
- Average time snoozing
- 11 minutes
- Days Snoozing is Most Common
- Monday to Friday
- Sleep Stage Impacted
- REM sleep