After an interrupted night of bad dreams and stressful musings, an additional nine minutes sleep is often all that’s required to completely recharge. You awake to the original sound of the alarm with a splitting headache and fear of what lies ahead, but with a short snooze you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the challenges of the day. Conversely, after a solid slumber, extra time in bed can detract from the rejuvenating rest. You may feel alert and prepared at the first sound of the alarm, but with a brief extension of sleep you find yourself tired and unenthusiastic. Today I awoke in an indifferent state; I was neither fully recharged nor drained and fatigued. I lay in bed and considered my options, weighing up the pros and cons of a snooze. Both sides had a solid case, but it was simply too hard to overlook the value of an extra few minutes rest. A second alarm interrupted this concluding thought. There was no time for more sleep; I was already late.