Good reasons to stay in bed

You might think it's your worst habit: groaning at the sound of your alarm clock, slamming the snooze button and sleeping in until you're running very, very late. But if you're tired enough to want to stay in bed all morning, your body might well be telling you to stay in bed – at least for a little while.

The snooze button can be an important part of healthy sleep management. Without proper sleep, you're more at risk of developing chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Waking up tired is more likely to make you irritable, forgetful, depressed, accident-prone and, of course, sleepy. And even just one hour of sleep less than the recommended eight per night increases your chances of coming down with a cold.

So, as the clocks go back, here are three reasons to spend that extra hour in bed.
You've been missing precious sleep

When you don't get enough sleep too many nights in a row, you become increasingly tired. Don't let your sleep debt get out of hand – alleviate it in small intervals by sleeping an extra hour or less every day until you've caught up. The increments are important, as researchers have found that oversleeping by more than an hour can disrupt your body clock.
You're planning to skimp on sleep

If you know you'll be low on sleep during a busy period, pay it forward. A study has found that people who stocked up on sleep prior to a sleepless week were more alert than their more tired peers. Remember, the same rules apply here as in the post-deficit naps – don't add more than an hour of extra sleep onto your wake-up time each day.
You're sleeping less so you can exercise

Exercising in the morning is a sensible habit – as long as you don't go overboard. The days when you wake up dragging your feet and dreading the thought of going to the gym are usually days when you're tired or low on sleep, or days before you get sick, are actually the days you might want to skip your fitness routine.

Give yourself that extra hour in lieu of exercise so that you can get back on track with your rest. This will also ensure you won't have to skip more gym days later.

Finally, whatever your sleep habits or strategy, make sure that the hours you sleep are high quality.

Create a perfectly comfortable sleep environment, follow a bedtime routine and have a regular sleep schedule.

If you exercise, do so at least three hours before bedtime. Make sure to get some sunshine during the day. Avoid caffeine in the evening, and remember that a light snack late in the day can help you sleep.