Gratification snoozing: the viral sleep trend that could be making you more tired

What is gratification snoozing - and why is it trending?

It's widely accepted by health professionals that regularly disrupted sleep can have a negative influence on your health. That's why the current TikTok ‘sleep hack’ is particularly damaging - not just for your sleep, but for your overall wellbeing.

Known as ‘gratification snoozing’, this trend encourages people to set multiple alarms throughout the night so they can wake up, realise they still have hours before they need to get up, and enjoy drifting back to sleep.

While most of us know the pleasure of waking naturally and discovering we have a little longer to sleep, deliberately interrupting your rest several times a night is far from beneficial. Instead of helping you feel more rested, it disrupts your sleep cycle and can leave you feeling more tired the next day.

Dr Jeff Foster, NHS GP Partner and Medical Director at Voy, UK, explains that although the feeling of going back to sleep may feel satisfying, deliberately waking yourself up in the middle of the night is unlikely to improve the quality of your sleep.

“Sleep is made up of different stages, and if it is broken, it can affect how rested you feel,” he says. “Deep, restorative sleep is important for many processes in the body - including hormone production and other health conditions - so having a consistent sleep routine is key.”

Dr Jeff Foster

Why quality sleep matters for your health

A good night’s sleep plays a vital role in supporting your overall health, alongside healthy eating and regular physical activity.

However, recent YouGov data shows that almost 70% of people say they often wake up feeling tired. Foster highlights that tiredness accounts for up to 10% of health appointments in the UK, with many people seeking advice on how to overcome it.

He explains that tiredness can be caused by a range of factors - including busy lifestyles, underlying health conditions, and, of course, poor sleep quality.

“The best approach is to improve the areas of your lifestyle that you can control,” says Foster. “We suggest speaking to a doctor if your tiredness is persistent, unexplained, or affecting your everyday life.”

How to improve your sleep and reduce tiredness

While your sleep routine can have a significant impact on how tired you feel, several other lifestyle changes can help improve your energy levels throughout the day. Rather than relying on habits such as ‘gratification snoozing’ to create the feeling that you are getting extra rest, it’s important to focus on improving the quality of your sleep and addressing the factors that may be contributing to fatigue.

Foster shares four practical tips to help reduce tiredness and support healthier, more restorative sleep.

Create a consistent sleep routine

While most adults need between six and eight hours of sleep each night, it’s not just about how long you sleep - the quality of that sleep also plays a crucial role in your wellbeing.

Foster says: “My number one tip is to try and go to bed at a consistent time each night and wake up at a similar time each day.

“While a lie-in may feel like the perfect way to recover from a busy week, it can actually affect your sleep quality and leave you feeling more tired.”

Support your sleep with a balanced diet

There is a strong connection between your diet and the quality of your sleep. Eating foods high in simple sugars can cause a quick spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash that may leave you feeling fatigued and lacking energy.

Foster says: “Carbohydrates provide a quick boost of energy - however, this isn't long-lasting. We recommend a diet containing more fibre and protein.

“This can help provide more stable energy levels throughout the day.”

Stay active to boost your energy

Exercise might leave you feeling tired in the moment, but staying active can improve your overall energy levels and make everyday tasks feel easier.

Foster says: “When you feel tired, it can be tempting to do nothing, but even a walk or some light activity can be beneficial.

“You don't need to complete an intense workout every time - the important thing is to avoid spending all day sitting down.”

Make time to switch off and manage stress

Stress is one of the key factors that can leave you feeling tired, especially when it becomes a long-term issue. In a world where we are always connected to our phones, emails, social media, and work, it can be harder than ever to truly switch off and recharge.

Foster says: “Being in a constant state of stress can keep your body in a prolonged fight-or-flight response, which is incredibly draining.

“Finding ways to switch off and creating time away from work and technology can help. Social connection or interactions are also extremely important, because feeling isolated or unsupported can have a significant impact on your overall energy.”