Sleep experts say brushing your teeth right before bed is a common nighttime routine mistake — here's why

A man with dark hair and wearing a white dressing gown brushes his teeth before bed as part of his nighttime routine.

If you want a good night’s sleep, creating a relaxing nighttime routine is a great place to start. But what should you include in your bedtime routine — and more importantly, what shouldn’t you include?

When it comes to the things you shouldn’t be doing right before going to bed (so within the hour before going to sleep), there are a few obvious ones: don’t drink too much (especially not alcohol, energy drinks or caffeine), and don’t eat heavy meals or sugary snacks. However, there are some nighttime routine mistakes that are less obvious — including something that most of us do right before bed.