Rise and shine, sleepy! You’ve awoken, groggy and bewildered, to
yet another beautiful morning bursting with possibilities and potential. Aren’t you lucky? Time to shake off your slumber, wipe the sleep
out your eyes, and prepare yourself for the brand new day ahead. Though, while we’ve got you, have you ever
stopped to wonder if your morning routine is helping or hurting you? Because, according to science, there’s a
whole range of things that you might be doing wrong. And hey; who doesn’t want a scientifically
optimised morning? I know I do. I’m Stu, this is Debunked, and we’re here
to sort the truths from the myths, and the facts from the misconceptions. Don’t use the Snooze Button So there you are, nestled up all cosy in your
bed as the night is slowly conquered by the arrival of another brand new day. If you happen to be the type of person who
doesn’t have the luxury of daily lie-ins, you may rely on some kind of alarm to wake
you up at the right time each morning. You also might be the kind of person who dreads
the incessant screeching of your morning alarm with the fiery passion of a thousand suns,
prompting you to hit the ‘snooze’ button for a few more precious minutes of peace and
quiet. Sorry to the bearer of bad news, but sadly
you might want to stop doing that for your own good, ...as it turns out that the snooze button
is only making you sleepier and groggier. Sleep experts have found that hitting the
snooze button and lying in bed for even just an extra ten minutes after initially waking
up convinces your body that it is entering another sleep cycle, prompting it to release
hormones that induce deep sleep; yeah, the good stuff. This means that when you actually do get out
of bed, your body will be swimming with a cocktail of sleepy chemicals that keep you
tired for much longer than you would have been had you just gotten up when your alarm
went off the first time. While post-slumber doziness usually lasts
no longer than 30 minutes, hitting the snooze button can extend this period for up to 4
hours, even if you actually got a good night’s sleep. Don’t Check Your Phone Immediately After
Waking Up Now, maybe you’re not the kind of layabout
who hits the snooze button every morning to eek out the last few moments of blessed stupor. Perhaps you’re sensible, and know that the
best way to wake yourself up nice and quick is by immediately grabbing your phone and
diving head first into the polluted, toxic slurry that is social media. Just in case my subtle sarcasm went unnoticed,
I am of course talking about the ever-nagging desire to check your phone at every possible
opportunity, and the first few seconds of consciousness are no exception. One study found that roughly 1 in 4 people
check their phones less than a minute after getting up each morning, while another slightly
less brainwashed 34 percent wait 5 to 10 minutes. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with staying
responsibly abreast of the latest news, nor is the ability to stay in touch with people
from all over the world a bad thing. But the sheer amount of scrolling we do has
some experts worried. According to psychiatrist Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi,
checking your phone as soon as you wake up increases feelings of stress and anxiety,
and interferes with your ability to prioritise tasks. In addition, former Google Design Ethicist
Tristan Harris points out that immediately looking at a notification-filled screen frames
your experience of waking up in terms of everything you’ve missed since yesterday, which can
have a negative effect on your productivity throughout the day. Of course, the idea that people spend too
much time on their phones in general is nothing new. For example, when the London-based Future
Work Center surveyed nearly 2,000 workers in the UK, they discovered a link between
email notifications and higher levels of anxiety. Another study carried out by the University
of Gothenburg in Sweden found a correlation between high rates of smartphone usage and
increased reports of depression in both men and women. And so, in order to start your day off right,
maybe don’t instantly immerse yourself in emails, reminders, constant bad news, and
emotionally-manipulative social media. Some experts have suggested waiting a certain
period of time at least 30 minutes to an hour, or completing other steps in your morning
routine before checking your phone. Of course, you could go a step further; Jari
Roomer, author of the e-book ‘The Ultimate Productivity Guide’, has suggested putting
your phone on flight mode before you go to bed, ...that way the mere act of waking up doesn’t
feel like you’re being ambushed with your own responsibilities. Just a thought. DON’T PEE STANDING UP OR HOVERING OVER THE TOILET SEAT! Sluggish and bewildered, you’ve finally
managed to pull yourself up out of bed and into a (somewhat) standing position. Now, if you’re like me, the very first thing
on your to-do list is to answer nature’s call, ...and if you’re really like me, you may
very well be accustomed to answering said call while standing, as is tradition for the
male of species. Well too bad, fellas! Even if you happen to have been born with
an outie rather than an innie, it still might be a good idea that you sit to pee no matter
what the time of day. “But why?” I rhetorically hear you ask. Well, although the ability to stand while
peeing is indeed a great privilege that should never be taken for granted, there is some
compelling research that suggests sitting down to urinate may actually be better for
you. According to research from the Leiden University
Medical Centre in the Netherlands, this is because the seated position creates a “more
favourable urodynamic profile”, which is fancy science-talk meaning that the muscles
around the urinary system are more relaxed, encumbering the flow of urine less than when
these muscles are engaged while standing. This allows for a stronger and faster stream,
and a more complete voiding of the bladder. Well, for some men, anyway. While many of the articles you can find online
referencing this research appear to suggest the seated position is beneficial for men
in general, in reality, this isn’t really the case. The researchers from the Leiden University
Medical Centre found that an ‘improved urodynamic profile’ from urinating while seated was
only seen in men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - or ‘LUTS’ - which are a range
of clinical symptoms mostly associated with older men with enlarged prostates. The study found that neither the standing
nor the seated position made any difference to the quality of urination in younger, healthy
men, with the researchers specifically stating in their conclusions that “AS NO EFFECT OF CHANGING VOIDING POSITION
IN HEALTHY MALES WAS FOUND, OUR STUDY DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO A MEDICALLY PREFERABLE
POSITION FOR HEALTHY MALES TO URINATE IN”. Indeed, there does appear to be more than
a little misinformation about the supposed health benefits men can reap by sitting down
when they’re making warm lemonade. I In 2012, a substitute member of the Sörmland
[SURM-land] County Council in central Sweden named Viggo Hansen proposed a motion that
would have required men on the council to sit while urinating when using the office
facilities. He justified his brazen attack on the right
to stand with claims that, apart from being more hygienic, sitting while urinating reduces
the risk of prostate cancer and “helps men achieve a longer, healthier sex life”. Both great reasons to sit while you whiz,
I’m sure you’ll agree. Well, they would be if there happened to be
any evidence whatsoever to support them. Spoiler alert... there isn’t. So, as long as you’re reasonably healthy
and not noticing any problems when you go number one, standing up isn’t going to do
you any harm. Still, that doesn’t mean there are no good
reasons to take a seat while you’re emptying the tank; for one thing, it is far more hygienic. In 2013, a pair of US physicists studying
the cold-hard physics of urination tested a range of options for reducing the nemesis
of all standing urinators - ‘splashback’. While a number of techniques were found to
reduce the level of undesirable toilet ejecta, the research ultimately concluded that... “SITTING DOWN IS THE BEST SURE-FIRE WAY
TO AVOID UNWANTED SPLASHING IN A TRADITIONAL TOILET”. Given that puddles around toilets are breeding
grounds for bacteria, you might want to consider a seated position anyway. Apparently, substitute member of the Sörmland
[SURM-land] County Council in central Sweden Viggo Hansen was right about that one. And while you might have thought this point
on the list was just for men, there’s also good reason for the ladies to sit and relax
rather than hover over the toilet seat... S...a position often adopted to avoid contact
with the germ infested toilet seat. Like standing, hovering also prevents the
pelvic floor muscles from relaxing, which makes it harder for women in this position
to completely empty their bladders. S“WE HAVE SHOWN SCIENTIFICALLY THAT IF YOU
HOVER ON TOP OF THE TOILET, YOU ONLY EMPTY ONE THIRD OF YOUR BLADDER. SO YOU HOLD BACK A LOT OF URINE. THAT IS NOT VERY GOOD FOR YOUR BLADDER BECAUSE
IF YOU HAVE STAGNANT URINE IN THERE OBVIOUSLY IT’S GOING TO PROMOTE DYSFUNCTIONAL EMPTYING
OF YOUR BLADDER, AND IT’S GOING TO PROMOTE YOU GETTING INFECTIONS.” Thus, we can surmise that sitting to urinate
is universally beneficial. So park your bums, folks - you’ll thank
us later. DON’T SHOWER EVERY DAY Alright, so now you’re up, you’ve peed
in a healthy and hygienic position, and you’re ready to get started with that whole daily
routine thing we keep banging on about. For many of us, if not the majority, that
means hopping into the shower and lathering ourselves up with soap to get ourselves nice
and clean for the day ahead. If that sounds like the kind of crazy shenanigans
you might typically get up to, guess what? You’re doing showers wrong too, you big
wally. As it happens, the idea that one must shower
daily is a relatively novel one, emerging only in the last few decades of the 20th century
with the rise of built-in showers and baths, and exists largely due to social pressure
rather than any actual medical need or recommendation. In fact, there is a growing consensus amongst
experts that showering daily is actually bad for you in a number of ways. Turns out, regularly immersing yourself in
a cascade of steaming hot water and aggressively scrubbing all over with harsh soaps can play
havoc with your birthday suit. I know; I’m as surprised as you are. Excessive showering strips away at the acid
mantle, a thin layer of fatty acids and natural body oils covering your skin that protects
the body from bacteria, viruses and other contaminants. This can cause your epidermis to become dry
and irritated, which can in turn lead to even further skin complaints. Showering too frequently can also remove the
beneficial bacteria and microorganisms living on your skin that contribute to your microbiome
and play a crucial role in your immune system. This is especially true if you’re overusing
harsh antimicrobial soaps and cleansers like the germaphobic maniac you are. For these reasons, many dermatologists suggest
showering only every other day, while some go even further and state that showering as
little as two or three times a week is plenty to stay sanitary. Ultimately, there is actually no evidence
that daily showers make you any cleaner. You also shouldn’t be spending ages in the
shower either, as extended showering only exacerbates the skin-seering effects of overdoing
it. Showering for just 3 minutes is all you need
to cleanse your body of built-up dirt and grime. Frankly, you shouldn’t even really be using
soap except on your armpits and groin areas. This is because it is only the glands in these
parts of your body that produce body odour; cleaning your underarms and unmentionables
with a gentle soap and rinsing the rest of your body with water is more than sufficient
for a hygienic and fresh-smelling bod. So yeah. Stop showering so much. You’re probably showering right now, aren’t
you? Pfft. Typical. DON'T BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTER BREAKFAST Moving briskly onwards through your morning,
it’s finally time to calm your rumbling tummy and get yourself something to eat. Though some medical professionals are beginning
to contest breakfast’s overly-positive reputation as… “THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY”, there’s definitely nothing wrong with a
nutritious, well-balanced morning meal. However, you should be cautious about when
exactly you’re planning on eating, especially with regards to keeping your teeth nice and
healthy. According to science, brushing your teeth
too soon after you’ve eaten may actually be doing you more harm than good. This is because many breakfast foods and drinks,
such as toast, juice, and coffee, although we’ll get on to this witches brew shortly,
are highly acidic, and when you eat them your tooth enamel is temporarily softened as a
result. Brushing your teeth while they’re in this
vulnerable state can actually damage the enamel, which I’m sure you can understand is no
bueno para tus dientes [noh BWAY-noh PAH-ruh toos dee-EN-tays]. Because of this, most dentists and dental
organisations advise you to wait a while before brushing your teeth after you’ve eaten,
especially if you’re consuming food and drinks that are particularly acidic. Many medical groups, such as the Mayo Clinic,
say you should hold off on brushing your teeth for at least 30 minutes, while the nervous-nellies
at The American Dental Association go even further and recommend you wait a full hour. Madness. Of course, you could always brush your teeth
before breakfast, such as when you first wake up. Indeed, when you brush first thing in the
morning, you also jump-start saliva production, which helps to break your food down and naturally
kills harmful bacteria in your mouth. You’ll just have to let the lingering taste
of toothpaste subside before you eat anything though. There’s no medical reason for that, though. It’s just gross. DON'T DRINK COFFEE BEFORE 9AM Okay, you’re almost ready to step outside
and face the upcoming day with gusto. The final crucial step in your morning routine
is making sure you grab yourself a cup of everyone’s favorite legal stimulant… coffee. Now, I know what you’re thinking - at this
point, you’re scared I’m going to tell you coffee is actually somehow extremely dangerous
or evil or problematic and blah blah blah… don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with
drinking coffee. Well, as long as you’re drinking it at the
correct times, that is. Here’s the issue - everyone has inside of
them a hormone we met earlier, ‘cortisol’, which is widely known as a potent ‘stress
hormone’ owing to its significance as part of the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. However, cortisol also plays vital roles in
a variety of other important bodily processes, such as reducing inflammation, regulating
blood pressure, and, as we touched on before, your sleep-wake cycle. Studies show that cortisol levels spike between
the hours of 8 and 9am as part of the body’s natural mechanism for waking up. Rather than adding to your level of alertness,
scientists have discovered that consuming coffee - or any other caffeinated food or
drink - during peak cortisol production actually weakens caffeine’s stimulatory effects. Not only that, it also causes you to build
up a greater long-term tolerance to caffeine. It gets worse. According to all these buzz-kill scientists,
cortisol also spikes between noon and 1pm, and between 5:30 and 6:30pm, so you should
probably avoid caffeine during these periods too. Tragically, you can’t even circumvent this
predicament by waking up super early or super late, as it has also been discovered that
cortisol production increases after you wake up by up to 50%, regardless of the time. Not only that, scientists have managed to
show that travelling across time zones does affect the timing of these cortisol spikes,
which makes scheduling your morning coffee even more of a nightmare. As a result, it’s generally recommended
that you wait at least an hour before imbibing any caffeinated foods or beverages to ensure
that they’re waking you up rather than dragging you down. Congratulations! Now you’re ready to tackle your mornings
head on! If any of this information has left you feeling
upset, victimised, depressed, or annoyed, or otherwise spoilt the delicate balance of
your preferred morning routine… don’t shoot the messenger. Blame it on science. But in the meantime… Would you like to learn about how the quality
of sleep can outweigh the quality of diet when it comes to
your weight? Then we’d highly recommend checking out
the sleep and guts episode of the ‘Why Are We Fat?’ series streaming on Magellan TV. An insightful documentary series investigating
the surprising causes and repercussions of an overweight population! Watch this and tons of other mind expanding
documentaries for free by clicking on the link in the description or visiting https://try.magellantv.com/debunked
Support from Magellan TV helps us keep making more of the content you love, so please head
on over and grab yourself a free pass to some top quality entertainment!
