I regret to admit that switching to an actual alarm clock is a good move
You Won't Regret It is a new weekly column featuring recommendations, tips, and unsolicited advice from the Mashable culture team.
A lot of people have already extolled the value of using an actual alarm clock instead of the alarm clock on your phone. I, however, was skeptical. Why would I buy a thing (one that might take up an outlet, no less) when I already have a version of that thing on my phone?
Then I found my old digital alarm clock in a plastic bin under my couch. I was going to put it back in the bin, but I needed to use the bin for sweaters, so I decided to put the clock on my bedside table instead of back in the bin. It was a whole thing!
I am devastated to announce that it was also a great decision.
Like many people -- including you, probably -- I have a bad habit of scrolling through Instagram right before I go to sleep. Even with Night Shift on, this is always horrible: The last thing I need to look at before bed is a bunch of backlit Stories from my problematic crushes. In the morning, it's even worse: I pick up my phone to turn off the alarm, then end up checking two to three anxiety-inducing apps (including my email) before I even get out of bed. Before I see the sun! Before I even take a sip of water from the glass I meant to drink before bed but ultimately did not.
Once I unearthed my alarm clock, though, I quit my phone-based alarm cold turkey. I even put my phone in another room an hour before sleep and did not retrieve it until after I had left my bed and washed my face in the morning.
I drift off instead of tearing my eyes from my iPhone like a moth with Stockholm syndrome.
And after following this blessed routine for a few days, I've noticed a genuine difference (ugh) in my mood. Forced to read before bed (which I wanted to do anyway), I drift off instead of tearing my eyes away from my iPhone like a moth with Stockholm syndrome. I do not dream about Instagram. In the morning, I don't see anything existentially troubling online until after I've woken up a little, a tiny improvement that makes a world of difference. I have fewer headaches.
Of course, I'm far from the first person to see the light. The benefits of ditching your alarm clock before bed are well-documented. As the Atlantic reported in 2015, the blue-tinged bright light of a smartphone screen signals to the brain that it's morning, which is a recipe for disaster if you're trying to get to sleep. (Again, make sure you have Night Shift enabled if you must gaze at your phone before bed.)
Then there's the anxiety associated with email, with Twitter, with the golden hour FOMO cesspool of Instagram. You think those terrors are going to help you get to sleep? I didn't think so.
A few alarm clocks to consider, in case you don't have one tucked neatly under your sofa:
1. A small digital option
Price: $7.99 at Target
2. A vintage stunner
Price: $55.25 on Etsy
3. A classic
Price: $14.99 on Amazon
Good night.
Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.
