'You're not winding down, your stimulating your nervous system' — expert pinpoints the nighttime routine mistake that kept waking me up at 3 a.m. and the $10 gadget that stopped it

A woman sleeps peacefully in her bed under a white duvet, while a small stack of books can be seen on her bedside table.

Of course I used to sleep with my phone on my nightstand — how else would I set my alarm? So what if the temptation of social media meant sometimes I was scrolling long past my bedtime, keeping my brain alert throughout the night?

Good sleep hygiene encourages you to keep your phone away from your bed, but it wasn't until I bought a $10 analog alarm clock I realized just how useful this advice is.