Tali Keller

As a dental hygienist, I tell patients to change the head every three months or sooner if the bristles look splayed or feel rough on the gums. If you have been sick with a cold or sore throat and swap it out once you recover. A fresh head matters more than people think. In hard water and rinse the bristles under warm running water, shake off droplets, and stash it upright so it dries fast. A brief de scale soak can help against mineral crusts. Use a mild solution of white vinegar and water, then rinse until the smell is gone. Avoid scrubbing the head against your teeth with force. Let the powered motion contact each area and guide it along the gumline with a light touch. That single change often stops early fraying and your gums will thank you. Easy win. For stretching your budget, watch for multi packs to lower the per head cost, and if your head has color indicator bristles, use them as a cue but trust splay and feel first. When in doubt, replace early in the spots that do the heavy work, molars, because lost effectiveness ends up costing time and dental bills later and that trade is never worth it.

Pick a fixed wake-up time that matches your life and protect it for the next 10–14 days, no sleeping in. Even if you didn't sleep well, get up at that time, get outside for 5–10 minutes of bright light, move your body a bit, and eat breakfast to anchor your clock. Shift bedtime earlier in small steps—15 to 30 minutes every night—rather than trying to jump an hour at once. If you're exhausted, allow a single short nap before 2 p.m., no longer than 20 minutes, then back up at your normal time. Cut off caffeine by early afternoon and keep alcohol minimal; both push your sleep later. In the evening, dim lights for 2 hours before bed, put screens on night mode or away, keep the room cool, and start a repeatable wind-down routine like a shower, stretch, or reading so your brain gets a clear cue. Go to bed when you're actually sleepy, and if you're awake more than about 20 minutes, get up and do something low-light and boring until you feel drowsy again. If you want an extra nudge, a very low dose of melatonin (0.5–1 mg) taken about 4 hours before your target bedtime for a few days can help shift your clock, but skip it if you have medical reasons or it makes you groggy. Expect it to take 3–7 days to feel locked in; keep your wake time steady on weekends within an hour, get morning light every day, and the schedule will stabilize without an all-nighter.