Hitting the snooze button is one of the smallest things that can satisfy people, especially those working more than eight hours every weekday.
But did you know that doing this can also benefit your body and help you live longer? This is what scientists from the Nanjing Medical University in China revealed.
Based on their findings, hitting the snooze button can save lives. If you are among those who see taking additional naps as a bad thing, here's why you should start hitting that snooze button.
Hitting Snooze Button Can Save Your Life, Claim Scientists
According to Independent UK's latest report, NMU scientists claimed that individuals who are sleep-deprived during weekdays because of their jobs can avoid a heart attack or stroke if they hit the snooze button during weekends.
Their findings revealed that sleep-deprived people were 63% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke if they could get an extra two hours of sleep every Saturday or Sunday.
Involved health experts discovered this after tracking 3,400 people during their sleep cycle study. On the other hand, hardworking employees who can only have eight hours of sleep during weekends are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
"Weekend catch-up sleep is [also] associated with a low risk of angina, stroke, and heart disease - especially in those with short sleep durations during the week," said NMU researchers.
"Research has shown sleep is not only for physiological rest but also has profound effects on cardiovascular health," they added via The Daily Mail UK.
The latest findings shared by NMU scientists add to the positive effects that snoozing can provide on people's bodies. Previous studies showed that hitting the snooze button can ward off depression and obesity.
Hitting Snooze Button Also Has Negative Effects
There's no denying that what NMU scientists revealed gives people a new idea about the benefits of hitting the snooze button. But before you start spamming it on weekends, you also need to know its negative effects.
Previous studies revealed that hitting the snooze button can negatively affect your sleep and your brain's waking ability. This is why some doctors warn people with broken sleeping patterns.
Aside from this, some scientists who assessed the effects of hitting the snooze button on sleepiness, mood, sleep, and cognitive abilities revealed that it makes people drowsy in the morning.
They claimed that individuals who avoid using this smartphone alarm button tend to be more lively in the morning. Another problem with this habit is that those who do it regularly tend to sleep slightly shorter at night.
When it comes to mood, sleep quality, and stress hormone release, no studies found negative effects caused by snoozing.
