In a global analysis of more than 3 million sleep sessions from 21,222 smartphone app users, researchers found that 55.6% of recorded sleep sessions ended with the use of a snooze alarm. Among these, users pressed the snooze button an average of 2.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4–2.5) and spent 10.8 minutes snoozing (95% CI, 10.7–10.9) per session.
The data, collected between July and December 2022 via the SleepCycle smartphone app across four continents, represents one of the largest objective assessments of snooze alarm behavior in the general population.
Snoozing was most prevalent during the workweek, peaking on Wednesday (488,485 sessions) and reaching a low on Sunday (287,378). Among snooze users, the average duration was longer on weekdays (11 minutes) compared with weekends (F = 8.9; P < .01).
Women used the snooze function more frequently and for longer than men, averaging 2.5 presses (95% CI, 2.5–2.6) and 11.5 minutes of snoozing (95% CI, 11.2–11.7) compared with men’s 2.3 presses (95% CI, 2.3–2.4) and 10.2 minutes (95% CI, 10.0–10.4). Effect sizes were large (Cohen’s d = 1.1 for frequency; d = 2.8 for duration).
Snooze frequency and duration increased with longer sleep durations. Those who slept 10 hours pressed snooze 5.85 times (95% CI, 5.79–5.91) and snoozed for 25.7 minutes (95% CI, 25.33–26.07), while 6-hour sleepers averaged 2.4 presses (95% CI, 2.4–2.5) for 11.5 minutes (95% CI, 11.4–11.5).
Participants with later bedtimes and wake times were more likely to snooze. Those sleeping at 10:00 AM averaged 4.9 snooze presses and 25.8 minutes of snoozing. Wake times at 1:00 PM corresponded with 6.7 presses and 37.6 minutes.
Country-level variation was modest. Sweden had the highest mean snooze frequency (2.7 presses, 95% CI, 2.5–2.8), while Japan and Australia reported the lowest (2.2 presses, 95% CI, 2.2–2.3). Users in Sweden also had the longest average snooze duration (11.7 minutes, 95% CI, 10.9–12.7). December showed the highest snooze use in the Northern Hemisphere (2.62 presses, 95% CI, 2.59–2.64; 11.83 minutes, 95% CI, 11.64–12.02).
Heavy snooze users—defined as those with >80% of sessions ending in snooze—averaged 4.0 presses (95% CI, 3.9–4.1) and 20.2 minutes of snoozing (95% CI, 19.9–20.5). Light users (<20% of sessions) averaged 1.2 presses (95% CI, 1.2–1.3) for 3.0 minutes (95% CI, 2.8–3.2).
Going to bed earlier than usual was associated with reduced snooze use the next morning. In contrast, going to bed later resulted in a bimodal snooze pattern: either no snoozing or snoozing 7 or more times.
The analysis included iPhone users who used the traditional snooze function and logged sleep on at least 50% of nights per month. Sleep sessions under 4 hours were excluded. The authors noted that snooze alarms were objectively measured, but it is unknown whether participants slept during snooze periods.
These findings suggest that snooze behavior is common across demographics and geographies. Further research is needed to assess its impact on sleep quality and daytime functioning.
Full author disclosures are available in the published study.
Source: scientific reports
