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While adults need at least seven hours a night, a few surprising things you do before bed can hurt the quality of your rest.
1. You Use the Wrong Alarm Clock
Most of us need to use alarm clocks to wake up in the morning, particularly to go to work or school. Use the wrong one, however, and you can undo some of the benefits of rest.
“An alarm that sounds at a bad moment for our brain will give you a bad start to the day,” says Jules Goldberg, creator of the sleep app Sleepwave. “Having an alarm go off during a deep sleep cycle can trigger sleep inertia. It’s that feeling of difficulty to move when you’re in a moment of deepest sleep or in the midst of the dream.”
Sleepwave, for example, allows you to set a window of time. Its motion-sensing technology detects your body movements and sounds the alarm when you are in a naturally awakening state.
Another option is to choose a different kind of alarm—one that doesn’t shock you awake and trigger the release of stress hormones. Improve your sleep by choosing a calmer alarm. For example, you can wake to a song that gets progressively louder if left unchecked. Or simply choose an alarm tone that is more pleasing than jarring.
2. You Choose the Wrong Toothpaste
Good dental hygiene includes brushing your teeth regularly, which can include right before bed. However, if you choose your peppermint toothpaste, it could take you longer to fall and stay asleep.
Certified sleep consultant Khaliah Guillory, founder of Nap Bar in Houston, says peppermint is best consumed when you need to heighten your focus and attention. “Peppermint is a stimulant that can have adverse effects on your sleep, as it is known to increase dopamine,” she told Sleep.com in an interview. “Dopamine, when released in the brain, promotes wakefulness and alertness. This is the total opposite of your intention before bed and a disruptor of your wind-down routine.”
While minty fresh toothpaste is perfect for the mornings, you might want to have a bedtime tube on hand. For example, ginger or cinnamon-flavored toothpaste will do the job without stimulating your body. Or Guillory recommends choosing a variety made with lavender, chamomile, or jasmine.
3. You Check Your Phone When You Wake in the Night
According to Reviews.org, 60% of Americans sleep with their phones. For many of us, they’ve replaced alarm clocks. While it makes sense to streamline your nightstand, using your phone as your clock can impact your sleep, too, especially if you wake up during the night, says Nancy Rothstein, Sleepwave’s sleep ambassador.
“Say you get up to go to the bathroom or you’re unfortunately awakened during the night,” she says. “If you look at your phone, you expose yourself to blue light.”
According to SleepFoundation.org, blue light stimulates the brain, making you feel alert. It also can elevate your body temperature and heart rate, which make it harder to fall or stay asleep.
Another reason you should avoid looking at your phone—or any clock, for that matter—is that you’ll likely start doing math, counting how many more hours you have to sleep, which activates your brain, says Rothstein.
“It does take some willpower, but do not look at your phone during the night—period,” she says. “It’s just a big quagmire you’re creating.”
January can be a good time of year to consider new habits, and those that help you sleep better should get some close consideration. By making a few simple changes, you may be on your way to more restful sleep.
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