Latest news with #SleepCycle
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Why sleeping on your back is the unhealthiest position — and the one exception when it's actually the best
Are you on the right side of history when it comes to your sleep position? How you sleep significantly impacts your health, affecting everything from breathing and digestion to spinal alignment and even wrinkle development. 5 Your sleep position affects your breathing, digestion, spinal alignment and even wrinkle development. – Advertisement People tend to sleep on their side, studies show. Lying on the back is the second most common position, with stomach sleeping a distant third. So, which are the best and worst sleep positions? The Post had snooze experts pick a side. The worst sleep position is … Advertisement 'Out of all sleeping positions, the worst one — backed by scientific evidence — would have to be sleeping on one's back,' Michael Gradisar, head of sleep science for Sleep Cycle, a smart alarm app and sleep tracker, told The Post. When you sleep on your back, gravity can pull your tongue and soft palate back into your throat. 5 Sleeping on your back may seem like the logical choice, but it comes with a bevy of downsides. weyo – This movement can narrow your airway, increasing the chances of the vibrations that cause snoring. Advertisement Even worse, the airway can collapse, leading to breathing pauses during sleep. That condition is known as sleep apnea. Because sleep apnea disrupts rest, it's been linked to irritability, mental health challenges, increased insulin resistance that paves the way for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Lying flat on your back also makes it easier for stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, fueling heartburn. Advertisement 'The best sleeping position is the one that feels the most comfortable, such that you get the most sleep,' Gradisar said. 'If the most comfortable position happens to be on your back, then lesser quality sleep is better than very little sleep.' Still, it's not all bad on your back — in fact, many of us started sleeping in the supine position in infancy. 5 This is definitely not the best sleep position. Do not try at home! theartofphoto – The back sleep position is widely recognized as the safest way to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) because it minimizes the odds of airway obstruction. Sleeping on your back also promotes spinal alignment, relieves sinus buildup and prevents wrinkles and breakouts because there's less facial contact with the pillow. The best sleep position is … 'Sleeping on the stomach, or the prone position, may cause strain on the neck and back,' Dr. Boris Gilyadov, associate medical director of The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, told The Post. 'Usually, the better position to reduce snoring and possible sleep apnea is sleeping on the side (left or right),' added Gilyadov, an assistant professor of medicine (pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Advertisement 5 Sleeping on the stomach may cause strain on the neck and back. Vasiliy – Sleeping on your side, particularly the left side, has several benefits beyond your airways. Catching zzz's on your left side allows the stomach and pancreas to rest in a natural position, enabling proper digestion. Advertisement And when you lie on your left side, your stomach is positioned below your esophagus, making it harder for stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus. Sleeping on your left side can also help facilitate lymphatic drainage because the lymphatic system is dominant on the left side. A well-functioning lymphatic system is crucial for the performance of lymph nodes and the prevention of swelling. Plus, side sleeping can allow your spine to decompress and align properly, alleviating back pain and stiffness. Advertisement 5 Sleeping on your left side has many upsides, experts say. fizkes – Pregnant women are often encouraged to sleep on their left side. Sleeping on the back can put pressure on the inferior vena cava, reducing blood flow to the heart and baby. Sleeping on the left side helps maintain optimal blood flow and can minimize the risk of stillbirth. Advertisement There are some drawbacks, though, to side sleeping. This position concentrates pressure on the shoulder you sleep on, potentially leading to pain and discomfort. Plus, consistently putting one side of your face against the pillow can lead to wrinkles and breakouts. Experts recommend placing a supportive pillow under your head and neck and perhaps a pillow between your knees to help keep your hips and knees aligned and reduce stress on your lower back.
Tom's Guide
06-06-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
What is blue light and can it really ruin your sleep? We asked the experts
I'll be the first to admit, I spend more time than I'd like scrolling in the evening. I do my best to follow a relaxing screen-free nighttime routine, but some nights the screentime gets one over me. Luckily, I sleep on one of this year's top-rated mattresses and get plenty of fresh air and movement during the day, so this evening light exposure doesn't completely ruin my sleep. However, I'm curious about the impact blue light has on my overall sleep quality. Online advice around blue light is conflicting. Some sources say it's sure to ruin your sleep, while others say it's not so bad. So, I've dug into studies and reached out to Dr. Michael Gradisar, head of sleep science at Sleep Cycle, and insomnia and sleep therapist Dr. Anna Joyce to set the record straight. Here's what these two experts want you to know about blue light and sleep... Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum and accounts for about one-third of all light we see as humans. This type of light influences alertness, hormone production and sleep cycles. Blue light comes naturally from the sun, the biggest source of blue light we consume, but it can also come from artificial sources like smartphone screens, televisions and fluorescent and LED lights. Bright light, i.e blue light, interferes with the circadian rhythm by suppressing production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. When the brain identifies light, it sends signals to the body telling it to be alert rather than sleepy. So, in theory, blue light exposure in the evening should delay sleep onset. On the flip side, it helps us feel alert come morning. Hence, exposing yourself to natural daylight first thing is a key tip for fighting morning grogginess and getting up and at 'em, which in turn helps us sleep better at night. The common assumption is blue light is bad news for sleep — and with right reason. A 2022 systematic review by Swiss researchers of studies investigating the influence of blue light exposure on sleep, performance and wellbeing concluded blue light could have negative effects such as a decrease in sleep quality and sleep duration. However, recent research by The Conversation suggests blue light isn't as bad for sleep as we've previously been led to believe. Sleep experts from Sweden, Australia and Israel found blue light exposure only delayed sleep by 2.7 minutes — hardly substantial. Experts, including Dr. Gradisar and Dr. Joyce, now agree that although light from screens does delay melatonin release, it only makes a minimal difference. Light from screens just isn't bright enough to significantly affect sleep patterns. "For blue light to meaningfully shift a person's sleep timing, the light source needs to be at least ten times brighter than what's emitted from phones, tablets, or other devices," says Dr. Gradisar. Rather, it is our cultural inability to shut down screens at bedtime, as we're sucked into unceasing social media feeds, that impacts our sleep, particularly how long we sleep for. Research from Dr. Gradisar shows the biggest sleep disrupter is delaying bedtime due to screen use rather than the light from the screens. "Don't fear using screens before bed — just time them wisely," he says. "While blue light from phones is often blamed, my research has shown that the biggest disrupter is actually delaying bedtime, not the light or the content from screens themselves." "Watching TV or listening to a podcast as a wind-down routine can be perfectly fine, especially if it helps reduce nighttime overthinking, as long as it doesn't cut into the number of hours of rest you get." Evening blue light is pretty much unavoidable in our modern world and, as tech gurus here at Tom's Guide, we're not ones to say get rid of your gadgets altogether. Instead follow these tips for sleeping well even after your screentime fix… When I do fall into the trap of being glued to my phone in the evening, it's certainly harder to switch off. Be it catching up with gossip in the group chat, online shopping or a doom scroll through Instagram reels, I rarely come away from my screen feeling sleepy. Instead I'm thinking about the breakup of a couple I've never met, contemplating whether I really need that new outfit or dreaming of that holiday destination that was made to look oh-so perfect in a 30 second video. "The problem is that we usually use screens for engaging and alerting activities, like work, reading the news, or scrolling social media; all things which stimulate us and affect our mood," explains Dr. Joyce. "The brain needs time to wind down in order to fall asleep so some transition time between screen use and bedtime is helpful." Similarly, Dr. Gradisar recommends podcasts or watching TV for your bedtime digital fix instead of scrolling. "TV is a passive device compared to phones. Many people fall asleep just fine after watching TV, with some drifting off while it's on," he says. There's no serious harm in using screens as part of a nighttime wind-down routine — television programmes or films are a mainstay in many people's evenings. But, as Dr. Gradisar's research shows, you need to be disciplined over your screen shut off time before bed to ensure it doesn't eat into crucial sleep time. That means having the self-control to flick up the TikTok app or turn off Netflix rather than hit 'play next episode' when bedtime rolls around. A 2024 study by researchers at the University of Otago concludes we should keep screens out of bed for better sleep, rather than cutting them out in the evening completely. This enforces a cut off point for screens — i.e. use them on the sofa, but put them down once you get into bed. You can buy blue light blocking glasses and lamps that help minimize the glare of screens and prevent blue light from interfering with sleep. I've been using a blue light blocking clip light (on sale for $29.99/£19.99 $25.49/£16.99 at Bon Charge) to read before bed. I've found replacing my bright bedside lamp with this dim red light has been a game changer for helping me drift off immediately after closing my book. While the scientific studies around blue light blocking glasses are tenuous, our Tom's Guide team have tested the best blue light blocking glasses you can buy online right now. These glasses are designed to filter out wavelengths that disrupt our circadian rhythms. Be their effectiveness placebo or not, we think they're worth trying if you're concerned about how blue light is impacting your circadian cycle. Plus, they won't break the bank.
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First Post
01-06-2025
- Health
- First Post
Wake-up call: How snoozing your alarm is costing you more sleep
A study by Mass General Brigham has found that hitting the snooze button on a morning alarm does more harm than good. Not only does it disrupt the important REM sleep stages, required for optimal cognitive functioning, but it also leads to poorer sleep quality and grogginess throughout the day. So, how can you fix this habit? read more A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital-based research group in the US, has found that the cherished snooze button might be doing more harm than good. AI-generated representative image We've all been there. Monday morning, alarm blasting, and without even thinking, your hand shoots out to hit snooze. 'Just five more minutes', you whisper to yourself. Maybe even ten. But while those extra moments under the covers feel like sweet relief, they might actually be messing with your sleep more than helping. A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital-based research group in the US, has found that the cherished snooze button might be doing more harm than good. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Published in Scientific Reports, the study analysed over 3 million nights of sleep using data from the Sleep Cycle app. And what it found could make you rethink your morning routine. So, how common is snoozing? What does it really do to your brain and body? And is there a better way to wake up? Here's a closer look. You are not the only one If you thought you were alone in your morning snooze ritual, think again. The study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham shows that reaching for the snooze button is a habit shared by many around the world. Using data from more than 21,000 users of the Sleep Cycle app, the team discovered that nearly 56 per cent of sleep sessions involved hitting the snooze button. On average, users squeezed in about 11 extra minutes of sleep between alarms before actually getting out of bed. 'Many of us hit the snooze alarm in the morning with the hope of getting a little more sleep,' explained Dr Rebecca Robbins, the study's lead author and a sleep expert at Brigham and Women's Hospital. 'But that extra sleep is usually very light and fragmented,' she added. On average, people squeeze in about 11 extra minutes of sleep between alarms before actually getting out of bed. Representational Image/Pixabay The research also showed that snoozing is far more common on weekdays, particularly Monday through Friday, when rigid work schedules make early wake-ups unavoidable. On weekends, people are less likely to snooze, perhaps because they're waking up on their own or simply allowing themselves more rest. Interestingly, those clocking fewer than five hours of sleep per night were found to be the least likely to snooze, likely because they had no choice but to get moving immediately due to responsibilities or time constraints. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Geographically, the snoozing trend was most prominent in countries like the United States, Sweden, and Germany. Meanwhile, users in Japan and Australia were least likely to delay their alarms. Why snoozing does more harm than good While those few extra minutes in bed might feel like a small morning luxury, experts warn that snoozing could be quietly sabotaging the quality of your rest—and your day. According to Robbins, the sleep we get after pressing snooze is typically fragmented and shallow, meaning it doesn't offer the same restorative benefits as uninterrupted sleep. Instead of feeling refreshed, many people end up groggier than before. 'Certainly, if you're feeling worse off (and) more tired from the snooze alarm, I would recommend going back to waking up cold turkey without it,' Fiala, who also runs the CommunityHealth Chicago sleep clinic told CNN. But why does this happen? This is because the last stages of sleep before we naturally wake up are crucial. This is when our brain gets rich amounts of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, important for memory and emotional processing. According to Robbins, the sleep we get after pressing snooze is typically fragmented and shallow, meaning it doesn't offer the same restorative benefits as uninterrupted sleep. Image for Representation 'The hours just before waking are rich in rapid eye movement sleep. Hitting the snooze alarm will interrupt these critical stages of sleep and typically only offer you light sleep in between snooze alarms,' said Robbins. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So while hitting snooze might seem harmless, it's not just costing you a few extra minutes; it could be robbing you of the quality sleep your body needs to function at its best. What should you do? Tempting as it may be to sneak in those extra few minutes of sleep, experts suggest you're better off resisting the snooze button altogether. 'The best approach for optimising your sleep and next day performance is to set your alarm for the latest possible time, then commit to getting out of bed when your first alarm goes off,' said Robbins. In short: set it and don't forget it. Another strategy is to build a consistent sleep schedule. According to Kimberly Honn, associate professor of psychology at Washington State University Spokane, maintaining regular sleep and wake times helps your body complete its sleep cycles properly, reducing that groggy, fogged-up feeling known as sleep inertia. At deep stages of sleep, electric pulses of the brain reach a highly rhythmic pattern, Honn explained to CNN. Trying to wake up during these stages cuts important brain maintenance processes short and can lead one to experience sleep inertia, which can last for several minutes or even hours. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But when your body follows a regular routine, it starts to move through sleep stages at predictable times. That way, you're more likely to wake during lighter sleep, and feel sharper and more refreshed. Having a morning routine can help with waking up early, and you will be less likely to hit the snooze button. AI-generated representative image 'In the perfect world, we would not be relying on an alarm clock at all,' said Robbins. 'We would be able to fall asleep and wake up naturally and have energy throughout the day.' If you're struggling to make the switch, try giving yourself something to look forward to in the morning, a warm cup of tea, your favourite breakfast, or a quick walk in the sun. It's all about building a routine that supports both your body and your motivation. And if you must tweak your schedule, do it slowly. Sleep specialist Fiala advises adjusting your bedtime by no more than 30 minutes, even on weekends. Shifting gradually, he says, is better than shocking your system. The bottom line: Better sleep starts the moment you stop snoozing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
Tom's Guide
29-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
More than 55% of people hit the snooze button daily — here's how it impacts your brain and body
Indulging in a little extra sleep in the morning courtesy of the snooze button is something many of us will be familiar with. But now, a new study has shed light on just how many people have this habit. Looking at more than 3 million nights of sleep data from 21,000 people, the researchers found that more than 55% of sleep sessions ended with people pushing their snooze alarm for a few more minutes of shut-eye. If that doesn't apply to you and you're someone who jumps out of bed at the first sound of your morning alarm, I take my hat off to you. Because even as a well-rested sleep writer with a full-time job in learning how to optimize my sleep, I still find myself hitting snooze at least once in the morning. Maybe its because I sleep on an oh-so comfortable top-rated mattress so I can't resist an extra few minutes snuggled up in bed. But whatever the reason, hitting snooze is a habit I want to kick this summer. So, as well as exploring this latest research, I spoke to Dr. Leah Kaylor, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma, about the risks of consistently hitting snooze, and what you should do to make that button less tempting. Pressing snooze in the morning happens in over 55% of sleep sessions, according to a new study by scientists at Mass General Brigham. Using data from the sleep analysis app Sleep Cycle, researchers analyzed the sleep habits of more than 21,000 people around the world over a six month period. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. They looked at more than three million night's of data and found 55.6% of sleep sessions logged ended with a snooze alarm. The researchers also found that the average snooze time was 10 minutes and 48 seconds, and that "of the sleep sessions ending with snooze alarm, snooze alarm was pressed on average 2.4 times." Those who slept nine hours or more were more likely to hit snooze (compared to those who slept for 7-9 hours or less than 7 hours), while people who went to bed earlier weren't as tempted to snooze as late sleepers. 45% of participants hit the snooze button for 80% of their sleep sessions The study revealed that the majority, 45%, of participants hit the snooze button for 80% of their sleep sessions, classifying them as 'heavy snooze alarm users'. Snoozing activity varied between days of the week. Overall, more people hit snooze on typical working days (Monday through Friday), while the snooze button got more of a rest on weekends. The researchers also found women are more likely to snooze than men, which could indicate further evidence of the gender sleep gap. The data showed women spent an average 11 minutes 30 seconds snoozing, while men spent an average 10 minutes 12 seconds. A recent study showed that around one third of people don't reach the recommended sleep target of 7-9 hours a night. So it's not surprising that many of us appear to be trying to cram in an extra few minutes when our alarms sound in the morning. But snoozing isn't the best way to handle a lack of sleep or sleep deprivation, as it causes more disruption in our natural sleep-wake cycle. According to the new study, experts say the sleep we get after hitting the snooze button is likely to be of poor quality. "While it feels comforting in the moment, hitting snooze disrupts your natural waking process and can lead to sleep inertia — that groggy, heavy-headed feeling that lingers after getting out of bed," explains Dr. Kaylor. This is because you're not getting "meaningful rest" during those extra 5 to 10 minutes, just "fragmented sleep that confuses your brain," she says. So, what happens to your brain and body when you press snooze? While you might think an extra few minutes kip is a good thing, the reality is likely to be the opposite. "Each time you snooze, your brain reinitiates part of the sleep cycle — often entering light or REM sleep, depending on timing," says Dr. Kaylor. "But because you're not asleep long enough to complete a full cycle, your brain is abruptly interrupted." The result? You may experience sleep inertia, reduced cognitive sharpness, moodiness, and even elevated blood pressure as your body keeps restarting the 'wake-up' process. Rather than hitting snooze, these expert recommended tips can help you get out of bed with energy to take on the day... Placing your alarm, be it your phone or a traditional alarm clock, across the room from where your bed is puts physical space between you and the snooze button, making it impossible to turn it off and roll over back to sleep. You'll have to get up to turn it off, and once you're out of bed it's much easier to feel alert and get on with your morning routine. The authors of the new study also noted that sleep experts suggest "setting an alarm for the last realistic wake time to allow for as much consolidated, uninterrupted sleep as possible." One of my key sleep tips will always be sleep with your blinds open. As your bedroom slowly fills with light, you gradually wake up. This allows you to reach the end of a sleep cycle, completing all essential sleep stages, without being jolted awake by a loud alarm. This way, you're more likely to wake up with energy as your sleep will have been more restorative. If your schedule requires you to wake up before the sun, consider investing in one of this year's best sunrise alarm clocks, which simulate a sunrise inside your bedroom, creating a more gentle wake-up call. Another way to help you wake up on time without hitting snooze is sticking to a consistent sleep schedule. This is where you wake up and go to sleep at roughly the same time each day. Doing so helps to align your natural circadian rhythm so your body gets used to releasing sleep and wake hormones at certain times of day. A healthy circadian rhythm should see melatonin production drop off towards the morning, so you feel less sleepy.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
The shocking affects of hitting the snooze button in the morning!
A recent study by Mass General Brigham reveals that over half of sleep sessions involve snoozing, averaging 11 minutes of extra rest. Researchers analyzed sleep data from over 21,000 users, finding heavy snooze users exhibit erratic sleep schedules. Experts warn that snoozing disrupts restorative sleep stages, particularly REM sleep, and advise against its use for optimal rest. O ften, when someone aims to wake up at 6 a.m., the temptation to steal a few extra minutes of sleep by hitting the snooze button is all too common. It feels like a harmless indulgence. A few peaceful moments before the day begins. But are those brief moments of rest really doing anything good for the body? A new study suggests that those couple of moments might be doing more harm than good. A new study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham found that, despite sleep experts warning against using the snooze function on an alarm clock, it's a common practice. The findings are published in Scientific Reports . Though sleep experts recommend against snoozing after a wake-up alarm, the new study found that more than 50% of sleep sessions included snoozing, with users averaging 11 minutes of extra rest. To understand how people use the snooze function, the researchers analyzed more than 3 million nights of sleep data from over 21,000 users of the Sleep Cycle app. They found that the snooze function was used in nearly 56% of logged sleep sessions. Around 45% of study subjects hit the snooze button on more than 80% of mornings. These heavy users snoozed, on average, 20 minutes a day. 'Many of us hit the snooze alarm in the morning with the hope of getting a 'little more sleep,' but this widely practiced phenomenon has received little attention in sleep research. In a global sample we found that more than half of sleep sessions end in a snooze alarm, and users spent an average of 11 minutes in between snooze alarms each morning before waking,' lead author Rebecca Robbins, PhD, in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system said in a statement. Interestingly, the dependency on the snooze button varied by day of the week. More snooze alarms were used during the typical work week (Monday through Friday), with the lowest snooze alarm utilization on Saturday and Sunday mornings! The researchers also found that snooze alarm was used less among those sleeping five or fewer hours. This could be because short sleepers are cutting sleep short due to occupational responsibilities, which would require them to wake up and start their day, leaving little time for a snooze. Meanwhile, the heavy users of the snooze alarm (those relying on the snooze alarm on more than 80% of mornings studied) spent on average 20 minutes in between snooze alarms. The researchers noticed that heavy snooze alarm users also showed more erratic sleep schedules than other categories of users. Covid Strikes India Again: 1,000 Active Cases in the Country, Kerala Tops List | All You Should Know While many think the snooze button is saving them some sleep, in reality, it is disrupting restorative sleep. 'Unfortunately, the snooze alarm disrupts some of the most important stages of sleep. The hours just before waking are rich in rapid eye movement sleep. Hitting the snooze alarm will interrupt these critical stages of sleep and typically only offer you light sleep in between snooze alarms. The best approach for optimizing your sleep and next day performance is to set your alarm for the latest possible time, then commit to getting out of bed when your first alarm goes off,' Robbins added. The researchers also noticed that people living in the US, Sweden, and Germany had the highest snooze button use, while those living in Japan and Australia had the lowest. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
