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Never lie in bed after your alarm goes off

Don't snooze your alarm in the morning

The one thing sleep doctors avoid every morning

Your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day—and your sleep doctors know it. They dedicate their careers to helping people sleep better, so it’s no surprise they have optimized morning habits. The one thing they consistently avoid? Lying in bed after the alarm goes off.

Why experts advise against lingering in bed

Sleep specialists emphasize the importance of getting up right away for a few key reasons:

  1. It reinforces your circadian rhythm. Your internal biological clock operates on a 24-hour cycle, dictating when you feel awake or sleepy. Getting up with your alarm strengthens that rhythm.
  2. It fights grogginess. Sleep doctors report feeling more lazy and groggy if they linger under the covers. Getting up right away helps them feel alert faster.
  3. It maintains a strong bed-sleep association. Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy only. This trains your brain to recognize the bed as a resting place, promoting higher-quality sleep.
  4. Light exposure jumpstarts your day. Light shuts off melatonin production and signals to your body that the day has begun. Sleep experts prioritize getting into light upon waking.

While it may feel unnatural initially, push yourself to get up as soon as your alarm sounds. Avoid scrolling on your phone or hitting snooze. Over time, it will get easier, and the benefits of your sleep will accumulate.

What to do instead of lying in bed

If sleep doctors aren’t scrolling Instagram or dozing off again, what are they doing? Two morning habits came up consistently:

  • Get sunlight exposure. Aim to get natural light within 30 minutes of waking by going outside or sitting by a window. The sun regulates your circadian rhythm and boosts your mood.
  • Engage in light exercise. Walk the dog, stroll with a loved one, or do some gentle stretches that signal your body and mind that the day has started. Intense exercise isn’t necessary to reap the benefits.

Another surprising tip? Make your bed. It’s a symbolic way to start your day productively and deter you from slipping back under the covers later on.

The way you start your morning influences your energy, focus and sleep later that night. Take a cue from the experts and get up as soon as that alarm chimes. Your body will thank you!

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