Zzzzzz…..BUZZ!……Zzzzzz….BUZZ!…..Zzzzzz….BUZZ!
And so it goes. Every morning for me is a battle with the alarm and its temptress, the button labeled Snooze. According to an impromptu poll of my beloved Facebook friends, I am not the only one conflicted. I posed the question, “I need your thoughts on the “SNOOZE” button. Love, hate, addicted?” (I am using initials only to protect their identities. I’d like to keep them as friends, after all!)
“I love the snooze button. I set the alarm 9 minutes before I have to be up so I can hit the snooze button twice. LOL!” –K.S. (Riki’s Response: This is one of my favorite people, and you can see why. We share the same views on almost everything- Snooze included).
“It’s a love hate relationship.” –K.W. (Riki’s Response: I feel you, K.W.)
“Oh yes…the snooze button. It depends on the day. If he has tennis or we have that ungodly early meeting then NO. But otherwise? Well we do have the clock on for 5:15 because I don’t want to rush out of the house…. this allows us time to have coffee and read the news, walk the dogs… much more civilized… and I don’t have to be friendly right out of bed…. ease into it.” –D.L. (Riki’s Response: This was a much-too-healthy relationship to the Snooze button for me, but was worthy of mention anyway. This friend later followed up with the qualifier: “Sometimes its f$#@*k the world and snooze twice!” Redeemed.)
“Hi Riki, my name is **** and I am a Snooze Button Addict as well. I can give it up any time I want, though. I swear I can.” –M.H. (Riki’s Response: It’s okay, M.H. I won’t give you up. Nothing you confess leaves this room. I promise).
“I set 3 alarms and snooze them all repeatedly!!!!!!” –A.B. (Riki’s Response: Another one of my favorite people on earth. This friend represents my current Snooze style).
“I love it because it represents a dream-like state that almost exists outside of the impending doom that is the work-day. Funny thing about my snooze experience is how odd the word “snooze” looks every morning. Such a strange word.” –M.V. (Riki’s Response: This friend is quite wordy. That’s why I love them).
“Well considering that I’m up this late, I’ll definitely be using the snooze button tomorrow. Actually I’ve embraced the snooze. I set my alarm for much earlier than what I need so that I have enough time to actually use it and it helps me wake up.” –B.L. (Riki’s Response: This was posted at 12:24 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. I like this friend’s take on healthy snoozing).
“I hate the snooze button. I like to sleep until the last possible second. [My husband] on the other hand uses the snooze for 30 minutes. I HATE IT!! grr :-)” –J.D. (Riki’s Response: It’s a good thing I am not married to J.D.)
“I snooze for 45 minutes every morning. Fortunately [my boyfriend] does not mind.” –G.M. (Riki’s Response: This couple is about to be married. I’m glad they have an understanding about the Snooze habit).
“The snooze button rarely gives you the extra sleep you really need. Going to bed earlier and not drinking caffeine after 5 PM are still the best for you. :-)” –F.N.T.B.N. (Riki’s Response: The initials here stand for “Friend Not To Be Named” since they are one of those people I stay friends with in order to limit drama but wish I could just “unfriend.” This holier-than-thou advice is one of the reasons why. Don’t judge- you have them too).
I did a little Internet research to find out if hitting the Snooze button was really all that bad for you, or if it might even be beneficial. The resounding answer from most experts is that it is a lousy way to wake up your body. Hitting the Snooze button actually disrupts and fragments the ever-important early morning REM sleep that your body needs to properly recharge. This repeated behavior can cause irritability, mood swings, sleepiness, and headaches. If I think about it, that logical answer makes perfect sense. Why interrupt my most valuable hours of beauty rest by interrupting it every nine minutes? Why? It is a damned hard habit to break. That’s why.
So, I also used my friend the Internet to find some solutions to help break my habit. Here are a few well-intentioned suggestions:
- Go to bed 15 minutes earlier every night and reset your sleep schedule gradually.
- Get up at the same time every morning, regardless of when you went to bed.
- Put your alarm clock across the room. (NOTE: This is not a deterrent for me. I simply get up, sleepwalk across the room, hit the damned Snooze button, and fling myself back into the bed).
- Set your alarm to a time when you are already a bit behind so that hitting Snooze is not an option.
- Buy an alarm with no snooze button. (NOTE: Where does one find such an evil contraption, anyway?)
Perhaps just having a reason that excites me enough to rise and shine might help me quit the habit. I’ll try to employ some of these ideas, but also ask for your input. What techniques do you utilize for getting up without wearing out the Snooze button?
missriki 