Go ahead and hit the snooze button

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Hitting the snooze button may not be as bad as you think]( By Jamie Ducharme Health Correspondent I used to spring right out of bed when my alarm went off in the morning. But sometime during the pandemic, when my morning commute was reduced to the walk from my bedroom to my kitchen, I became a snooze-button addict. I assumed this was a bad habit—and, indeed, many sleep experts say it is. They warn that repeatedly hitting the snooze button may throw off your sleep cycle, or at least signify you’re not getting enough good-quality sleep at night. But earlier this month, I read a study that vindicated my morning routine. It found that snoozers weren’t sacrificing sleep duration or quality by setting multiple alarms, and, relative to non-snoozers, actually performed better on cognitive tasks shortly after waking. And while there aren’t many other published studies on snoozing, the few that do exist mostly back up those findings. So snooze on, fellow sleepyheads. [READ MORE]( Share This Story What Else to Read [How the World Got Hooked on Sugar]( By Ulbe Bosma / Made by History From medicinal wonder to Halloween candy, sugar has a bitter history. What happens next is up to us. [Read More »]( [The Scientific Reason Why You Can't Stop Eating Halloween Candy]( By Jamie Ducharme Why is candy so hard to resist? (Originally published in 2018.) [Read More »]( [Dementia Underdiagnosis and U.S. Driver's License Laws]( By Haley Weiss In states where doctors are required to report dementia cases to the DMV, rates of diagnoses are lower than the national average. [Read More »]( [The Israel-Hamas War Is Making Americans Question Their Relationships]( By Belinda Luscombe Friends and family members who often agree are divided over the Israel-Hamas conflict. [Read More »]( [8 Ways to Find Humor in Your Everyday Life]( By Angela Haupt Laughing more promotes health and happiness. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Why clowns are so feared]( About 5% of Americans are afraid—or very afraid—of clowns, a phenomenon known as "coulrophobia." As the Washington Post reports, a new study examines exactly what drives our fear of the white-faced, red-nosed jokesters. The researchers found that clowns' exaggerated features and unpredictable nature have a lot to do with it. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and Angela Haupt, and edited by Angela. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.