9 minutes. That’s the standard snooze interval. And those 9 minutes can ruin your entire day. Why? The answer lies in your sleep architecture.

What Happens When You Hit Snooze

When your alarm goes off, your body is in the process of waking up. Cortisol is being released, your brain is booting up. When you hit snooze and fall back asleep, something terrible happens: your brain starts a new sleep cycle.

A sleep cycle normally takes 90 minutes. When the alarm goes off again after 9 minutes, it pulls you out of the beginning of deep sleep — the worst time to wake up. Sleep scientists call this sleep inertia.

Sleep Inertia: The Snooze Hangover

Sleep inertia is that groggy, disoriented state after waking up. Normally, it lasts 5-15 minutes. Snoozing can extend it to up to 4 hours. Symptoms include:

The Study That Explains Everything

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame conducted a 2023 study with 450 participants. The result: regular snoozers reported significantly higher daytime fatigue than people who get up at the first alarm — even though both groups slept the same amount.

How to Stop Snoozing

1. Remove the Option

If snooze isn’t an option, you have to get up. Wakey offers exactly this: you must solve puzzles to stop the alarm. There is no easy snooze button.

2. Set Your Alarm Later

Better to wake up 30 minutes later and get up immediately than to snooze for an hour and feel worse. Calculate your ideal wake time and set your alarm precisely.

3. Use Hard Mode

For those who are serious: Wakey’s Hard Mode disables snooze completely. If you dismiss the alarm, you pay a penalty. It sounds extreme — but it works.

4. Give Yourself 21 Days

Habits don’t change overnight. Give yourself three weeks to establish your new wake-up behavior. Wakey’s streak system helps you stay on track.

Conclusion

Snoozing feels good but makes you more tired. The science is clear. The best way to wake up better in the morning is to eliminate the snooze button from your life entirely. Your body will thank you.