I sometimes struggle in the mornings. Even when I know I’m not going to get enough sleep, I set my alarm ambitiously. When it goes off, I then decide whether I’d like to be lazy or not. However, deciding to be lazy only usually yields me an additional 15-20 minutes. So is it worth it?
I admittedly have never been much of a morning person. I’ve always wanted to be the type to wake up, go for a morning jog, read the newspaper with a cup of coffee, write a post, and then finally head to the office. Unfortunately, I’m not wired that way – despite my understanding of how detrimental snoozing can be.
Speaking scientifically, our bodies create serotonin while we sleep. Dopamine is then created to ensure the body isn’t filled up with solely serotonin during the night. The two processes become two weights on a balancing scale. Your body regulates each to ensure the optimal amount. When you snooze, this process is halted and interrupted in a way that destroys the balance. This imbalance leads to less happiness and more drowsiness after you’ll inevitably wake.
The best thing for you and I to do is to eliminate the snooze button from our lives. Yes, we know it feels great to remove ourselves from slumber, stretch out, and fall back into a deep REM. But it doesn’t sound like it’s worth the repercussions after you understand how it can impact productivity.
That said, I plan on getting to bed much earlier and ensuring that my morning alarm is set to the actual time that I would like to start my day. No more excuses.