We’ve all been there, our alarm goes off in the morning, and we’re so comfortable that the temptation to hit snooze and turn over for five more minutes overtakes us, and before we know it, we’re running late for work.
The funny thing about this common habit is that no matter how annoying it is when you have to spend the morning rushing around, skipping breakfast, and missing the bus, you’re likely to do the same thing the following day.
So, why is it that we do this?
Sometimes, there can be valid reasons you feel you need those extra minutes in bed in the morning.
Perhaps you’ve had a night of disturbed sleep and woken up multiple times during the night, or maybe you went to bed too late and disrupted your sleeping schedule, but if you’re finding that it’s something that is happening regularly, then you may want to see if there is anything you can do to improve morning routine.
Later in this guide, I will be telling you the different things you can put into place to help you wake up when your alarm goes off in the morning. However, it’s important to remember all the solutions below still require willpower.
Why Hitting The Snooze Button is a Bad Idea?
Oversleeping can cause many issues regarding your general sleep hygiene.
Pressing that snooze button in the morning, and going back to sleep, can lead to multiple problems and knock-on effects on the rest of your day.
For example, you can end up falling into a deep sleep, meaning you sleep through any follow-up alarms. This can then mean you are late for an important meeting, miss your train, or get in trouble at work.
Hitting the snooze button can also mean that you get too much sleep, which can affect your circadian rhythm and general health, which I will go into more detail about below.
Overall, you need to get out of the habit of hitting that snooze button and retrain yourself to spring out of bed the minute that alarm goes off in the morning. Trust me; you’ll feel better about it in the long run.
Effects of Oversleeping on Your Health
Getting the correct amount of sleep is detrimental to your health. When you get into the habit of hitting your snooze, your general sleep and physical health will suffer.
It’s true when people tell you that there is such a thing as too much sleep and that oversleeping can make you more tired.
As well as playing with your sleeping pattern, it can also cause other serious problems with your health, such as diabetes, increased blood pressure, depression, and heart disease.
Oversleeping for some people is a known medical condition, so if this is something that you think sounds like you, I advise speaking to a medical professional alongside following home care advice.
Suppose you’re a sufferer of sleep apnea or insomnia. In that case, this can also lead to you feeling as though you need to sleep in, but if this is the case, then you need to look at curing the sleep condition rather than hitting that snooze button in the morning.
How to Retrain Yourself to Wake Up to An Alarm?
It can be hard to change your habits, especially when it comes to things you do daily, and that’s no different when it comes to waking up to an alarm clock and quitting that snooze button.
But, if you concentrate on it and dedicate the time to preparing for sleep correctly and ensuring that you’re getting the best hours of sleep, then anything is possible.
Below, I will discuss some things you can practice at home to change your way of thinking and get out of the habit of oversleeping in the morning.
Let’s look at some of the dos and don’ts before bed that can improve your sleep health.
Change the Way You Think
This is probably the most important thing you can do regarding improving your sleep quality.
Mainly because if you can’t change your perspective about sleep, you will find it difficult to implement anything else into your life. Try to think positively.
Instead of dreading getting out of bed, focus on a good reason to get out of bed and stick with it. Appreciate waking up in the morning, and think of it as a new day each time you hear that alarm ringing.
Alter Your Bedtime
One of the biggest reasons you might need to hit that snooze button in the morning is because you’ve stayed up too late the night before, trying to change your bedtime.
Aim to go to bed seven or eight hours before the time you know you need to wake up in the morning.
Be Realistic
Many people set their goals too high when setting their alarms for the following morning. The trick here is to think rationally, allow an hour to get ready for the day, and go from there.
So, if you need to leave the house at 8:00 am, set your alarm for around 7:00 am. This, combined with going to sleep at the same time every night, will eventually mean that you will automatically wake up at the correct time.
Stay Hydrated
If you have a glass of water as soon as you wake up, it will kickstart the body and produce energy, making the waking-up process feel much better.
Remember, drinking too much water in the evening can lead to you waking up needing the bathroom during the night, meaning a disturbed slumber, so try to stick to only one glass of water later in the evening.
Leave Your Blinds Open
This option might not work for everyone. Personally, it does not work with my sleeping pattern.
Still, if it usually starting to get light around the time you need to wake up, try leaving your blinds open a little during the night; this way, when the sun comes up, the natural light can wake you up gradually.
Move Your Alarm Clock
If you’re a chronic snooze hitter and don’t think any of the above will work, then another option is to hide your alarm clock.
Put it on the other side of the room, in a drawer, or outside your bedroom door (if it’s loud enough) so that when it goes off in the morning, you will need to get yourself out of bed to turn it off physically, hopefully, then you will be less tempted to go back to bed.
Which Alarms Are Best?
The most popular form of waking up in the modern day is the alarms built into their phones. However, these can make the temptation to hit the snooze button even great.
If you must keep using your phone for an alarm clock, I suggest leaving it elsewhere in your room so that you can’t turn over and reach it from your bedside. I would also recommend setting different alarm tones.
Change the style daily, and switch it up. Waking up to the same ringtone each morning can mean you become accustomed to sleeping through it.
If you can get your hands on an alarm such as the Lumi, these come highly recommended. They work by slowly lighting up to replicate the rising of the sun.
Once they reach full brightness, an alarm will sound at the time you need to get up. These are the most effective ways of waking up naturally without direct sunlight.
Another option is the standard battery-powered alarm clock, which might take you back to your school days when you hear it.
Although very basic, these alarm clocks are very effective, budget-friendly, and portable, so they can be placed anywhere in your room, which is an excellent deterrent for snoozing that alarm.
Conclusion
As I have established, many factors can contribute to hitting that snooze button when you wake in the morning, from health conditions to lack of sleep to general bad habits.
Hopefully, from this guide, you can go away knowing that there are plenty of things you can do to improve your general quality of sleep and many options you can try which can change your way of thinking in the mornings.
I have also discussed the health problems that can cause oversleeping or occur because of it. Suppose you think you are experiencing any symptoms of more severe or underlying conditions.
In that case, I must insist that you speak to a medical professional to be on the safe side.
I hope my guide has given you all the tools you need to wake up feeling fresh, cheerful, and well-rested in the morning.
Once you have mastered the art of waking up to your alarm without reaching for that snooze button, you will start noticing positive changes in all other aspects of your day-to-day life and mindset.
