Brushing your teeth is important. It is quite likely that you brush your teeth twice a day without anyone asking you to. It is one of the basic accepted dental care tips and yes, you should adhere to it for a lifetime. But did you know, brushing your teeth in the dark at night could make a real difference, not to the health of your teeth and gums, but to your sleep. According to a neuroscientist at Oxford, if you have been missing out on a good night’s sleep, a change in your brushing habits can make all the difference.

According to Russell Foster, who is the Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford, stated that the light in your bathroom might be the reason why you are unable to sleep, even if you go to bed at a decent hour. In particular, the fluorescent lights which are common in bathrooms nowadays can cause your body to put off falling asleep and instead compels it to ‘wake up’. What this means is your mind and body, instead of shutting down after a long day, stay alert, and you are the one left tossing and turning in bed because you are unable to doze off.

With the winter season setting in, the cold weather already makes it difficult for people to fall asleep as soon as they hit the sack. Brushing your teeth under fluorescent light can exacerbate the problem. Of course, this shouldn’t be an issue as your muscle memory should allow you to brush your teeth without hassle even in dim light. The best option is to keep the lighting the way your bedroom is lit at the time when you go to bed so your body doesn’t have to adjust. After all, the human body is programmed to wake up when there is light around.

So, believe it or not, brushing your teeth in the dark can help you sleep better at night! Who would have thought that?