You wake up to your alarm. Still groggy, you swipe to snooze. 9 minutes later, you do it again. And again…
You tell yourself: "I just need a few more minutes." But what if those extra minutes are actually wrecking your morning energy, your sleep quality, and your entire day?
The snooze button is one of the most universally used sleep crutches out there. But behind its innocent glow lies a physiological sabotage. In this week’s blog, we’re diving into:
- 🧠 The science of sleep inertia and how snoozing messes with your brain
- 🕘 Why those “extra 9 minutes” may feel good but are biologically useless
- ⚡ How the snooze habit is linked to lower mood, delayed cortisol rhythms, and even reduced performance
- 🛠️ A framework to wake up better - even if you're not a morning person
Why Snoozing Feels Good… But Works Against You
Sure, hitting snooze feels great... in that moment, it feels like you can kick all that grogginess if you just get a few more precious minutes. But the biology doesn’t back it up.
Here’s what’s actually happening:
When you wake up (especially from deep or REM sleep), your brain is transitioning out of a sleep state - but that transition isn’t instant. This groggy state is known as sleep inertia. It's your brain's version of buffering.
Research shows that sleep inertia can impair cognitive performance, memory, and alertness for up to 30–90 minutes after waking. The more abrupt or fragmented your wake-up, the worse the inertia. And when you hit snooze and go back to sleep, you're not easing yourself into wakefulness - you're dropping your brain back into the start of another sleep cycle… only to get yanked out again minutes later.
That’s why repeated snoozing can actually increase grogginess, not reduce it.
“You may think you’re getting extra rest when you hit snooze, but what you’re actually getting is fragmented, low-quality sleep that confuses your brain and body,” says Dr. Chris Winter, neurologist and author of The Sleep Solution.
The Cortisol Curve You Don’t Want to Miss
Cortisol often gets a bad rap, but in the morning, it’s your best friend.
Around 30–45 minutes before your natural wake time, your body starts releasing cortisol, which helps you feel alert, energized, and ready to tackle the day. It’s known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR), and it’s your body’s internal signal to rise and shine.
But if you disrupt this rhythm — say, by jerking in and out of sleep three times in 20 minutes — you throw off that hormonal cascade.
A 2022 study found that irregular wake times and snoozing behaviors were associated with blunted cortisol responses, meaning snoozers started the day less alert than those who woke up immediately.
Why It Matters More Than You Think
The snooze button isn’t just a bad habit - it’s actually a performance killer. Here's what the data and experts are saying:
😵 Reduced Mental Clarity
Research has shown that fragmented sleep in the last hour before waking led to significant decreases in reaction time and problem-solving ability in the first half of the day.
💤 Lower Sleep Satisfaction
People who routinely hit snooze are more likely to rate their sleep as “unrestorative” or “interrupted,” even if total sleep duration is the same.
📉 Delayed Sleep Schedule Over Time
By repeatedly snoozing, you reinforce a later effective wake-up time — and your circadian rhythm adjusts accordingly. That means more difficulty falling asleep at night and a feedback loop of fatigue.
Snoozing gives you neither more sleep nor better sleep. It just gives you more inertia and a body that's out of sync.
Why We Do It Anyway
So if it’s so bad for us, why do so many people still hit snooze?
There are two major reasons:
1. We’re Chronically Sleep Deprived
Most snoozers are trying to make up for what they didn’t get the night before. If you’re not getting 7–9 quality hours of sleep, your body will demand more in the morning - even if it’s not quality sleep.
2. We’re Psychologically Avoiding the Day
There’s a subtle emotional layer here too - hitting snooze can feel like rejecting the stress, pressure, or dread of the coming day. It's not just that you want more sleep - you may also be trying to avoid the stressors that await you.
Who Should Especially Watch Out
Snoozing might seem harmless, but it’s particularly problematic for certain people:
- Athletes and high performers: You’re stacking fatigue on top of fatigue. Fragmented mornings rob your body of the consistency it needs for recovery and focus.
- People with anxiety or depression: Disrupted cortisol rhythms and poor sleep quality can deepen mood issues.
- Parents or shift workers: When your sleep windows are limited, you need every minute to count. Snoozing sacrifices quality for the illusion of quantity.
How to Break the Snooze Cycle (For Good)
Here’s a framework for regaining control of your morning that actually works:
1. Start With a Consistent Bedtime
If you want to wake up better, you have to start better. Back up your desired wake time by 7–9 hours and set a firm bedtime. Aim for consistency - yes, even on weekends!
2. Use a Gradual Wake Alarm
Instead of a blaring alarm that shocks you awake, try an alarm that uses gradually increasing light or sound (like the Hatch Restore or a sunrise clock). This mimics your natural cortisol rise and reduces grogginess.
3. Give Yourself a Reason to Wake Up
Whether it's a short walk, a great breakfast, or 5 minutes of quiet time before the kids wake up… anchoring your wake-up to something you want to do gives you the dopamine to help override the desire to snooze.
4. Design Your Environment to Help
Use blackout curtains, set your thermostat to a cool 65–67°F, and upgrade your pillow to something ergonomic and breathable (like the Lagoon Otter Pillow). If your sleep setup isn’t helping you fall asleep and stay asleep, you’ll never beat the snooze.
5. Track the Impact
Use your sleep tracker, but not obsessively. Pay attention to how your energy, mood, and recovery scores change when you snooze vs. when you don’t. Let data guide your behavior.
__________________________________________________________________
Sleep Starts the Night Before
If you're waking up tired and hitting snooze every day, it's not just a morning problem - it's a nighttime one.
This is where investing in your sleep environment pays massive dividends. At Lagoon, we design pillows to align your body, reduce pressure points, and support deep, uninterrupted sleep — so you can actually feel ready when your alarm goes off.
Start with our bestsellers:
- 💤 The Otter Pillow: Cool to the touch and customizable for perfect support
- 🦊 The Fox Pillow: Ideal for back and side sleepers needing ergonomic alignment
Or, take the 2-minute sleep quiz to find your perfect match.
__________________________________________________________________
The Takeaway
Remember that snoozing is a trap. It’s a comforting ritual that you think might be helping, but actually leaves you more tired, less clear-headed, and stuck in a cycle of sleep sabotage.
If you ‘snooze’ today - know that it’s very possible to break the habit! You don’t need to become a morning person overnight, you just need to respect your rhythm, invest in your recovery, and start your day with intention. Good luck!
