Back to school and back to work season has millions of people setting multiple alarms to make it out the door on time. But a sleep medicine physician says those extra minutes of shuteye could actually leave you feeling worse.

Dr. Andrew Stiehm, a sleep medicine physician with Allina Health, says the ideal number of alarms to set each morning is zero.

“Anyone that is waking up to an alarm is sleep deprived,” Stiehm said. “They’re waking up at some time that’s unnatural for them.”

Why one alarm may be better than several

The ideal scenario, according to Stiehm, is to wake up spontaneously — when your body naturally signals that it’s well rested. That tends to happen on weekends or days off. During the week, though, he says one alarm is better than several, because repeatedly waking up and falling back asleep can leave some people groggier than before.

“I never actually progress through that transition to alertness,” Stiehm said. “And so you actually end up depriving yourself of deep sleep without actually getting the momentum of being awake.”

The case for a second alarm

Despite that warning, Stiehm says multiple alarms aren’t always counterproductive — it depends on where you are in your sleep cycle when the first one goes off.

“There is what we call sleep inertia,” he said. “If you wake up from one of the deep sleeps, it’s really hard to wake up. So kind of having that one alarm that goes off to wake you up from deep sleep, then when you return to sleep, it’s only light. And now the second time you wake up, you’re waking up from light sleep.”

Tips for getting up with just one alarm

If you want to train yourself to get up on the first alarm, Stiehm recommends putting your phone or alarm clock across the room. Getting out of bed and engaging your core muscles helps your body shift into wake mode faster. The harder part, he says, is building the daily discipline to skip the snooze button altogether.

How much sleep do you actually need?

The CDC recommends adults between 18 and 60 get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Adults between 61 and 64 should aim for seven to nine hours, and adults 65 and older need seven to eight hours.

Getting enough sleep carries significant health benefits. The CDC says quality sleep can help reduce stress, improve heart health, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke, and sharpen memory and attention.

CDC tips for better sleep

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
• Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and relaxing
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed
• Avoid large meals and alcohol before bedtime
• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet

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