do you use an alarm clock (Photo Getty Images)

If you’re one of those people who thinks “five more minutes” after hearing your first alarm clock in the morning, we’ve got some bad news.

A study has been conducted on the effect of using an alarm clock versus getting up without a signal.

Researchers at Notre Dame University found that people who use an alarm clock wake up more tired than those who don’t.

And if you have a habit of napping, it could be a sign that you’re chronically tired.

Scientists said those who need an artificial stimulator to wake up feel more lethargic because the alarm disrupts natural sleep patterns.

This disrupted sleep can then lead to more caffeine consumption, which can lead to delayed sleep and therefore more lethargy.

In comparison, those who woke up naturally slept longer and were probably less dependent on caffeine.

The experts explained that when we wake up naturally, the body experiences a stress response that makes us more alert in the morning.

But when we use an alarm clock, we skip this natural stress response, resulting in an interrupted sleep cycle.

The study surveyed 450 American adults with full-time jobs and used data from respondents who wore devices that measured sleep duration and heart rate.

They found that women napped 50% more often than men, but those who hit the snooze button were more interrupted while sleeping.

Dr. Stephen Mattingly, lead author of the study, said: “Most of what we know about snoozing comes from data on sleep, stress or related behaviors. Alarm clocks, smartphones, they all have snooze buttons.

“The medical establishment is generally against the use of snooze, but when we went to see what hard data there was, there wasn’t any.

“We now have the data to prove how common it is — and there’s still so much we don’t know.” So many people sleep because so many people are chronically tired.”

It’s all become a bit of a cycle, you sleep because you’re tired, then you’re tired because of insomnia, then you drink caffeine, and it can keep you awake again.

But there are ways to get a good night’s sleep, and they can help you avoid reaching for the snooze button in the morning.