3 iPhone tips to help you wake up better and get more sleep

Smartphones are notorious for destroying our sleep cycles, but on the contrary, they can actually improve them. Especially the iPhone, which has several neat features you can use to get a good night's sleep and wake up better in the morning. Here are three tips for sleeping smarter:

Use the built-in Bedtime feature

Apple addressed the issue of sleep head on with its latest iOS 10 software update. Now, updated iPhones have a new feature called Bedtime, which allows users to monitor their sleeping habits and build a consistent sleeping regiment. After configuring a "bedtime alarm" and "wake up alarm" for your varying schedule, the iPhone will remind you when it's time for bed, depending on the time and day you set. The Bedtime mode can even sync with Apple's native Health app to track data on your sleeping habits. Last but not least, users can set customizable alarms with varying degrees of volume — an option not available in the iPhone's standard alarm clock. 

Use Apple Music to play nature sounds to fall asleep

Some people can't fall asleep without a little background noise. Actual music can be a little too stimulating, however, so try drifting off to the sounds of Mother Earth, instead. A search in Apple Music for "Nature Sounds for Sleep and Relaxation" will bring up a host of options ranging from "tranquil ocean waves" to "calming thunderstorms." Set the track of your preference on repeat, and let nature handle the rest — pun completely intended.

Disable the snooze button

Science has proved that using an alarm clock's snooze button actually makes you more tired — and probably late. Prevent yourself from falling into to this bad habit by disabling the snooze button on your iPhone. It's really easy to do: Simply hit the "edit" button on your alarm(s) and tap the switch on the "snooze" option. Now it's going to be a lot harder to turn off that alarm in the morning. Enjoy the productive morning.