We spend 3.5 months of our lives hitting the snooze button. And while doing this every now and then doesn’t really affect you, taking regular naps can do a lot more than make your sleep worse at night. It turns out that sleeping more quietly after the alarm goes off can affect your weight, your skin, and even your reproductive health.
We are also guilty of setting off the alarm early in the morning, but we are seriously considering changing that habit after doing this research.
The Negative Impact of Hitting the Snooze Button
It Might Mess Up Your Sleep Cycle
About 2 hours before you actually wake up, your body begins to prepare to start the day. Your temperature rises and your body releases chemicals that are responsible for making you feel awake.
When you wake up after hearing the first alarm, your body is well prepared for the awakening process. But if you hit the snooze button and go back to sleep, you will likely feel sleepy and groggy after waking up.
You May Feel More Tired Throughout The Day
You might think that napping will allow you to get a little more sleep and feel more energetic throughout the day, but it actually works the other way around. In fact, a survey of nearly 20,000 people showed that those who sleep are more likely to feel tired during the day.
And while napping after hitting the snooze button every now and then doesn’t seriously affect you, doing it regularly can lead to long-term sleep deprivation.
It’s Bad For Your Gut Health
Falling asleep after clicking nap confuses your body’s internal clock and affects the quality of your sleep. When your body isn’t sure when it’s time to go to sleep and wake up, you’re more likely to spend the night tossing and turning and sleeping less than necessary.
As a result, it can affect your overall health, causing metabolic disturbances and leading to weight gain.
Your Skin May Become More Sensitive
Even if you’re taking good care of your skin, a constant lack of sleep can sabotage your efforts and cause your skin to break out.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s stress hormone levels rise, which in turn leads to inflammation, excessive sebum production, and clogged pores.
It Might Affect Your Immune System
It may seem tempting to steal a few extra minutes of sleep, but making it a habit will add to the negative effects of napping. For example, you may feel sick more often than before.
This is because a constant lack of sleep weakens your body’s defense mechanisms, and your immune system cannot protect you from viruses as effectively as it should.
It Can Throw Off Your Menstrual Cycle
As good as hitting the snooze button early in the morning may sound, doing it daily can affect your reproductive health. Irregular sleep patterns affect reproductive hormones, which are responsible for menstruation and ovulation.
Lack of sleep will eventually create more stress on your body, which can cause irregular periods or missed periods.
Are you a dreamer? Do you know any other way to break this habit?
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