It’s no surprise that getting good, restorative sleep most nights is key to good health. Sleeping well gives you the energy you need to power your day. It helps you make better food choices. It can even improve your mood and reduce stress.
Lately, social media influencers have been promoting a trend called sleepmaxxing, which involves experimenting with different sleep hacks to achieve sleep optimization (getting deeper, more restful sleep) and improve your well-being.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are filled with people sharing their favorite techniques, which range from scientifically backed suggestions to bizarre remedies to improve sleep quality. Some influencers even livestream their sleep to show how these methods help them sleep better.
But do these approaches actually work? Dayana Dominguez Batista, MD, a sleep medicine specialist with Banner Health, said, “Sleepmaxxing is a buzzword gaining traction on social media. The techniques aim to tackle individual sleep challenges that can range from anxiety to feeling hot when you’re trying to sleep,” Dr. Dominguez said.
She explained what really works, what could be dangerous and what falls somewhere in between.
Common sleepmaxxing hacks
Here’s a closer look at some popular trends:
Mouth taping
Mouth taping is one of the most controversial sleepmaxxing trends. With it, you seal your mouth shut with tape, which forces you to breathe through your nose when you’re sleeping. Advocates claim it helps you take in more oxygen, reduces snoring and prevents dry mouth.
While mouth breathing during sleep might cause problems, taping your mouth shut isn’t the answer. Experts sometimes warn against this sleep hack since you may need to look for the cause of mouth breathing.
It could be a symptom of a condition like chronic nasal congestion, so you shouldn’t try it without discussing the pros and cons with a health care professional. “It’s especially dangerous for people with conditions like sleep apnea,” Dr. Dominguez said.
Red light therapy
Red light therapy for sleep involves using low-intensity red light to stimulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and help your body relax and prepare for sleep. The idea is that red light can help reduce exposure to blue light from screens in the evening. People claim that red light therapy can encourage your body to release melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep.
Some people swear by this method for improving sleep quality. While some evidence supports its calming effects, the research on long-term benefits is still limited.
Although it’s true that blue light is most disturbing for sleep and red and warm yellow lights are least disturbing, Dr. Dominguez pointed out that darkness is probably better than any light before bed. And results may be as good or better if you follow good sleep habits, such as limiting screen time before bed.
“Red light therapy might be a helpful tool for setting the mood before sleep but it’s not a cure-all. It may not address deeper sleep problems caused by stress or anxiety,” Dr. Dominguez said.
Melatonin supplements
Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces to regulate sleep. It helps set your sleep-wake cycles. Many people use melatonin as a sleep aid for short-term sleep issues like jet lag or occasional insomnia.
“While melatonin can be helpful for some people in specific situations, using it regularly or in excess can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycles,” Dr. Dominguez said. “It’s a medication with an active hormone and should be treated as seriously as any other medication.”
If you’re taking melatonin or other sleep aids regularly, talk to your health care provider about safety and the risk of dependence. They may recommend other ways you can improve your sleep.
Lowering body temperature
Cooling devices designed to help regulate body temperature may promote better sleep. If you can’t keep your bedroom cool, you may want to consider other cooling methods that might help you sleep better.
“Most people sleep best in a room that’s cooler,” Dr. Dominguez said. “Your brain needs to be cooler, but it’s OK to keep your core a little warmer.”
Weighted blankets
Weighted blankets may create calm and secure feelings, reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality, especially if you have insomnia, restless legs or stress-related sleep disturbances. “There’s some research that supports the benefits of weighted blankets,” Dr. Dominguez said. It depends on your sensitivities and preferences.
Eating kiwis before bed
This lesser-known hack is based on the fact that kiwis contain high levels of antioxidants and serotonin, which may promote better sleep. They may offer benefits for sleep quality but more research is needed.
Don’t let sleepmaxxing interfere with your sleep
“Obsessing about optimizing your sleep can lead to stress and make your sleep quality worse,” Dr. Dominguez said. Think carefully about why you might want to try a new sleep hack. Talk to a health care provider if you're unsure about their safety or effectiveness.
Safe ways to improve sleep
If you’re looking for techniques that can help you sleep better, these sleep health tips are supported by research:
- Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends and vacations.
- Follow a relaxing bedtime routine that tells your body it’s time to sleep.
- Avoid alcohol before bed. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, but it can disrupt your sleep during the night when its effects wear off.
- Limit caffeine. If caffeine keeps you awake, avoid it in the afternoons and evenings.
- Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps stabilize your sleep-wake cycle and improves sleep quality. But don’t exercise intensely close to bedtime.
- Turn off your screens for 30 to 60 minutes before bed to help signal to your body that it’s time to produce melatonin.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet. You may want to consider room-darkening shades or curtains and a white-noise machine to block out sounds.
The bottom line
Influencers promoting sleepmaxxing may be drawing attention to how important sleep is, but not every method works for everyone. While some trends may offer benefits, they shouldn’t replace evidence-based practices. Focusing on habits like a consistent routine and a sleep-friendly environment may be far more useful.
If you’re interested in exploring treatment for sleep issues, talk to your health care provider or an expert at Banner Health for guidance and support.
