Let’s begin with the fact I am not a morning person – at all. When the sky is still dark, and the morning birds are still nestled in their nests, my wish is to be deep underneath my covers, fast asleep. It’s a dreadful feeling when my alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m., and I’m comfortably tucked into my covers, unwilling to budge, yet the persistent buzzing continues merely three feet away. The only way for me to eliminate the retched noise is to get up, and every fiber in my being refuses to do so. Even so, I fight my urges and roll out of bed to begin my morning.

People tell me time and time again that hitting the snooze button is a bad idea. I don’t see what the problem is. I take precautions to ensure I get up. My first alarm is set for 6:30, and I make sure and set a second one for 6:35 in case I turn off the first. The only thing happening in those five minutes is my tired body receiving a little extra rest. No harm, no foul.

David Dinges, chief of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania, claims the ten minutes between your first and second alarm can actually be a great time to slowly wake your mind up. He agrees falling back asleep isn’t healthy which I don’t necessarily attest to, but he does believe it is vital time for your body to adjust to the day ahead rather than popping right out of bed.

In conclusion, don’t be worried if you groggily roll over and whack the snooze button early in the morning. Just prepare yourself the night before and set a second alarm to make sure you keep yourself on track. Also, take the time between alarms to stretch and awaken your mind whilst still lying in bed. I mean c’mon, a little extra shut-eye isn’t always a bad thing.