Youve likely heard that a good night of sleep starts in the morning, and sleep experts agree with this statement wholeheartedly. This is because of our circadian rhythm, or our bodys natural sleep-wake cycle, which is a 24-hour process.

The circadian rhythm, your internal biological clock, operates on a roughly 24-hour cycle and dictates when you feel awake or sleepy, largely influenced by light exposure, explained Dr. Chester Wu , a double-board certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist. Health behaviors in the morning reinforce a strong circadian rhythm, promoting wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.

Conversely, according to Wu, irregular sleep patterns, excessive evening light exposure and sedentary lifestyles can disrupt this rhythm and sleep pressure balance, leading to sleep issues.

Considering theyve dedicated their careers to helping people sleep better, its safe to say the morning routines of sleep doctors are ones we want to emulate. So, what do sleep experts avoid doing in the morning to ensure they get a good nights sleep?

They never lie in bed after their alarms go off.

In what may be the most unrelatable (but definitely smart) action ever, sleep doctors dont lie in bed, scrolling on their phones for 15 minutes before dragging themselves out of bed. I try not to linger in bed because I definitely feel like that causes me to feel more lazy or groggy, Wu said.

Chelsie Rohrscheib , a neuroscientist and sleep expert, also doesnt do this. I never stay in bed and do activities that arent related to sleep and intimacy. This means when I wake up, I get out of bed immediately and go somewhere else in my house, she said. This helps to maintain my brains association that the bedroom is only a place of rest, which promotes high-quality sleep.

I never remain in my dark bedroom, added Dr. Chris Winter , a neurologist and sleep health expert. It is essential to get into the light. Light effectively shuts off your brains production of melatonin and lets your body know the day has begun.

While not lying in bed was the most popular tip among the sleep experts we consulted, Carleara Weiss , a sleep specialist and research assistant professor at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, gave a slightly different answer: For her, in addition to getting up as soon as she wakes up, she makes sure not to sleep in.

The reasoning for that relates to the circadian rhythms, Weiss said. Regular wake-up times help the biological clock regulate physiological functions, not just sleep. Sleeping in on the weekends leads to social jet lag and causes difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, and headaches.

Dr. Raj Dasgupta a physician who is a quadruple board-certified physician in internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine is also wary of sleeping in.

While occasionally sleeping in is unlikely to have a lasting impact on your overall sleep quality, it may affect your ability to fall asleep later in the evening, he said. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, where you wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, is really important for ensuring you have a good night of quality sleep.