Does TikTok’s Sleepmaxxing Trend Actually Work?

Trying to squeeze in a few extra ZZZ’s? If a good night’s rest preoccupies most of your waking thoughts, then it could be time to get a little experimental in the bedroom. Lucky for you, TikTok’s got just the thing: sleepmaxxing.

What Is Sleepmaxxing?

A trend we’ve been seeing more and more of recently, sleepmaxxing focuses on optimising sleep quality and quantity through various ‘hacks’ spanning sleep hygiene, routine and environment. It’s all about self-optimisation, where individuals seek to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing through better sleep practices. ‘Sleepmaxxing is essentially raising awareness about how to improve sleep,’ says Dr. Michael Gradisar, a sleep expert at Healf. ‘It suggests a few ways to do so – including using white noise, cooling your bedroom and mouth taping.

@barrettplasticsurgery Mouth Tape For Sleeping 😴 #mouthtape #mouthtapeforsleep #mouthtapesleeping #lifehacks #sleephack #sleephackstohelpsleep ♬ original sound – Dr Daniel Barrett

The practice, which offers a more holistic approach to sleep improvement, has picked up speed on TikTok, where content creators have taken to sharing their tips and tricks for a good night’s kip. But Dr. Gradisar notes that, while it seems new, sleepmaxxing isn’t necessarily a fresh approach: ‘If you look at the sleepmaxxing ingredients – sleep hygiene, routine and environment – it’s nothing new,’ he states. ‘The only thing that has changed is the packaging.

‘It hard to say what exactly sleepmaxxing entails because, unlike terms developed from scientists, there’s no expert online group here deciding what it is,’ the doctor continues. ‘There are some commonalities, like a whole bunch of M-words (magnesium, melatonin, mouth-taping). But it’s a bit like scrabble, with some letters giving more points than others – which is a metaphor for the varying potencies of sleep solutions. Some work very well; others do stuff all.’

How Do You Do It?

Since sleepmaxxing doesn’t involve one clear method of improving sleep quality, it can be a little tricky to find a starting point. Dr. Gradisar recommends starting from one of the more common solutions – such as mouth taping – and seeing what works for you.

@drcharlesmd1 Not melatonin. Dr Charles discusses 3 sleep hacks :) #sleep #dreams #doctor #health #medicine #bedtime #insomnia #dream ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

Some other solutions include:

• Creating an optimum sleep environment: A dark, cool and quiet room offers the best conditions for a good night’s sleep.
• Keeping a consistent routine: A good sleep schedule includes going to bed and waking up at the same time daily.
• Managing stress: Try to incorporate relaxation techniques like meditations and yoga into your routine, to help decrease stress before bedtime.
• Update the diet: Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and limiting alcohol intake have both been shown to help facilitate good sleep.

But it’s also worth noting that there might not be one all-cure solution. ‘Sleep can be affected by so many things which rules out the idea of a quick (sleep) tip,’ says Dr. Gradisar. ‘Possibly the only broad-sweeping tip that will help people improve their sleep is to become educated, and get to know their sleep habits.

‘For example, mouth taping has shown some promise for those who snore, but you need to see if snoring is the reason for why you’re not sleeping well,’ he continues. ‘To find that out, an affordable audio-based sleep tracker can report how much you snore. If snoring does affect your sleep, then you can investigate mouth taping.’

Are There Any Benefits?

Since sleepmaxxing is all about improving your sleep, it can come with the benefits of a optimal night’s rest. Some of the benefits of good seep include improved mental clarity, emotional stability and even a reduced risk of chronic health conditions such as heart disease.

@emonthebrain Replying to @user573063 5 ways to improve deep sleep 🧠💤 #greenscreen #sleeptips #lifehacks #longervideos #mentalhealth #frequency ♬ original sound – emily | neuroscientist 🧠

And The Drawbacks?

While great in theory, some experts warn that excessive focus on achieving ‘perfect’ sleep can, in fact, be counterproductive. Putting too much pressure on your sleep schedule can lead to anxiety about sleep quality itself – sometimes referred to as orthosomnia.

This makes it all the more important to take sleepmaxxing on board with a balanced approach; one that doesn’t disrupt your sleep pattern.

Is Sleep Tracking Useful For Sleepmaxxing?

Tracking and measuring your sleep can be a great way to see if your sleepmaxxing efforts are actually working. ‘When people come to me wanting to improve their sleep, measuring their sleep is imperative – otherwise we’re flying blind,’ highlights Dr. Gradisar. ‘So yes, sleep tracking is important so you can witness any changes in your sleep for yourself.

‘But it’s important you try to change one thing at a time, and do it long enough to see if any significant changes are being picked up by your sleep tracker,’ he continues. ‘Usually trying something for a good week or two will tell you whether you incorporate it into your own sleepmaxxing kit or not.’

Does Sleepmaxxing Work?

The big question: does it actually work? TikTok seems to think so, but Dr. Gradisar isn’t so sure. ‘As a package, there’s no evidence saying that sleepmaxxing as a whole works,’ he starts. ‘But some of its ingredients can help. For example, white noise can help to improve sleep, especially if you’re an infant,’ he continues. ‘And melatonin can help if you have a circadian rhythm disorder. Magnesium helps if your sleep is due to a magnesium deficiency.’

Dr. Gradisar explains that it’s more important to find the cause of any sleep issue, so that you can treat it effectively – rather than try any broad solutions. ‘These examples show you need to identify the main reason behind your sleep problem first, so you can match it with the right ingredient.’

Featured image: Monstera Production, Pexels