# Hitting the snooze button - does the extra sleep help? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755 "2003-02-04T19:07:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/21 "2003-02-05T04:03:58Z")
An interesting question… I’m inclined to belive that hitting the snooze button to gain a few more mintues is more of a mental boost than anything else. You’re now awake (or relatively), and have some time to prep yourself mentally for the rest of the day. I wonder if there is any research to back this up though, since ‘feeling better’ is rather subjective. (And my alarm clock, when I hit snooze, gives me at first ten mintues. Next time I slap that button, it gives me nine. Then eight, etc., etc. If I hit it after it gives me only a mintue, it ignores me and keeps right on buzzing/playing the radio until I turn the alarm off.) * * * \<\< Coffee: the 100% all natural alternative to sleep! \>\> ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/22 "2003-02-05T04:14:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightsong \* > \*\*\<\< Coffee: the 100% all natural alternative to sleep! \>\> \*\* There is another natural alternative to sleep, which also makes arising happier when administered in the morning. Oh gosh, look at the time. G’night. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/23 "2003-02-05T04:18:19Z")
If it doesn’t help, then WTF is the deal with **POWER NAPS?** ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/24 "2003-02-05T04:22:40Z")
Actually, it probably depends on the person. I go back to sleep just like it’d never happened. I basically don’t like going to sleep at night, waking up and jumping out of bed. But my wife says she never gets back to sleep (which I don’t believe). Maybe it is that half empty, half full thing. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/25 "2003-02-05T04:28:18Z")
I have to have my snooze button. It allows my to become functionally conscious in 8 minute increments: 6:00am BEEP! slap **snore** 6:08am BEEP! slap _look at the clock_ 6:16am BEEP! slap _find the mote, turn on tv, doze_ 6:24am BEEP! slap _open eyes to watch tv, head still partially under pillow_ 6:30am BEEP! slap _OH SHIT, I’M GONNA BE LATE!_ ---
**Author:** ![Popsicle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Popsicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popsicle)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/26 "2003-02-05T04:42:20Z")
I’ve never had a snooze alarm clock. Instead, I place a couple of loud alarm clocks at a suitable distance from my bed (i.e. in the living room outside the bedroom door) to make sure I get out of bed. Needless to say, it’s particularly effective in winter but probably only workable for people living alone. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/27 "2003-02-05T05:51:39Z")
I find that if I get out of bed when the alarm goes off I feel physically ill. Seriously. I spend half the day nauseated. The snooze button doesn’t do anything for me in terms of extending my sleep, but allows me to wake up gradually so that I needn’t spend half the day feeling unwell. 🙂 Max. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/28 "2003-02-05T06:01:42Z")
I can actually hit the snooze without waking up. When I do wake up, it’s 29 minutes after the alarm is set for, and I have no recolection of hitting the snooze, but apparently I did - at least 3 times. I likes me some sleep. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/29 "2003-02-05T16:13:07Z")
**FranticMad**'s cite is referring to naps occuring some unspecified time following foreshortened sleep cycles. This is in no way comparable to “snoozing” immediately after the first sounding of the alarm clock. 🙂 Sorry, no cite is available to support my claim of a youthful appearance. I’d be happy to attend a Dopefest to submit to the judgement of my fellow Dopers, but circumstances have not thus far permitted that. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/30 "2003-02-05T16:36:56Z")
I have a really cool radio alarm clocl that lets you set 2 alarms. So I set one for the radio to go off 1/2 hour before i have to get up, and one for the BEEP to go off when it’s time to go up. It’s nice being lulled awake that way. Also, once I am slightly awake in the morning, i HAVE to pee. So I have no choice but to get up. Doesn’t mean I won’t slink back into bed if it just feels like it’s going to be one of those days…but doesn’t anyone else HAVE to pee as soon as they are awake? I don’t really use an alarm anymore tho, I have a puppy that wakes me up at the same time every morning (brand: golden retriever)! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blakeformayor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@blakeformayor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blakeformayor)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/31 "2003-02-05T21:03:35Z")
I love the snooze… I’ve had some success setting a radio alarm for about 1/2 an hour before a beeping alarm. This is, as others have mentioned, an easier way to wake up. Also, if I set the radio on a talk program and don’t turn it up too loud, the conversations sometimes incorporate themselves into my dreams, which is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755/32 "2003-02-06T13:34:28Z")
Often when I’m snooze bar surfing, I will be having short dreams in my 9 minute intervals. Wouldn’t this indicate that I’m picking up REM sleep? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitting-the-snooze-button-does-the-extra-sleep-help/152755.md?page=1)