What are the common misunderstandings about snoozing (going back to sleep after the alarm)?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Turning the alarm off and dozing off again is a habit found everywhere. In Japanese it has a name, *nidone* (二度寝, literally "second sleep"), and the question "is it bad for you, or actually good?" comes up again and again. Here we sort it out along the lines of the sleep guide published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).
What to base your judgement on
- The MHLW Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023 [健康づくりのための睡眠ガイド2023] lists keeping a fixed wake-up time and getting morning light as the basics for keeping the body clock in order.
- Sleep after being woken by an alarm is mostly light sleep. Even several snatches of 5–10 minutes are generally described as giving little of the recovery that deep sleep provides.
- The groggy state right after waking (sleep inertia) is noted to last longer when you snooze repeatedly.
| Situation | How to think about it |
|---|---|
| You snooze every morning | You may simply not be getting enough sleep. Move bedtime 15–30 minutes earlier |
| Only on days off | Keep the gap from your weekday wake-up time within 2 hours (social jet lag) |
| Still sleepy after getting up | Use morning light (open the curtains, go outside) to move the body clock forward |
| Snoring, or strong daytime sleepiness | Not a question of how often you snooze — see a doctor (possible sleep apnoea, etc.) |
[Verify] Check the relevant passages of the Sleep Guide 2023. The description of sleep inertia is the general account given in sleep medicine.
Misunderstanding 1｜Snoozing adds to your sleep
It is repeated light sleep, generally described as giving little of the recovery that deep sleep gives. Adding the same amount of time to the night before is more efficient.
Misunderstanding 2｜Several alarms 5 minutes apart make it easier to get up
You drift back to sleep each time, so sleep inertia drags on. One alarm, get up, get some light — that is the approach in line with the guide.
Misunderstanding 3｜Snoozing feels good because your body needs it
The pleasant feeling is the sensation of light sleep and dozing; it has nothing to do with how much sleep you need. If you feel very sleepy, that is a sign to look again at your night-time sleep.
Misunderstanding 4｜A lie-in at the weekend makes up for a tiring week
If you wake more than 2 hours later than usual, the body clock shifts later and Monday morning gets harder. Keep your wake-up time. If you are sleepy, take a nap of 30 minutes or less in the early afternoon (see our article on "banking" sleep).
Misunderstanding 5｜Snoozing is a sign of weak will
Not enough sleep, an irregular wake-up time, a dark bedroom — environmental factors are generally described as having a large influence. Tricks shared among people living in Japan include sleeping with the curtains slightly open, or using a light-based (dawn-simulation) alarm clock.
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Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, *Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023* [健康づくりのための睡眠ガイド2023]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001181265.pdf
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, e-Health Net, "Sleep and lifestyle habits" [睡眠と生活習慣]
https://www.e-healthnet.mhlw.go.jp/information/heart/k-01-001.html
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, *Outline of Results of the 2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey* [令和5年 国民健康・栄養調査結果の概要] (sleep)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_47433.html
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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