So which steps should you take before bed, and which should you rest? Below, sleep experts and mental health experts debunk all the hype about maximizing sleep:
What is sleep maximization—Who is creating all the buZZZ?
Maximizing sleep is popular among women—many of whom are eager to share how they’ve mastered the art of sleep. For example, TikTok founder Mayte Myers popularized the “morning shed” concept by dramatically removing her satin sleep hat, night mask, face mask, and chin mask to show her dedication to beauty sleep Spirit. But men are also a big part of this digital conversation. A college-age creator named @shinyyy2.0 explains how to “sleep like a D1 athlete” wearing blue light glasses, a noseband, a face mask, and 100% organic cotton sheets. What is his goal? “Best recovery and performance.”
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The current sleep craze reflects a greater emphasis on the importance of sleep to health, fueled in part by all the widely available sleep-tracking technology. The fad joins the ranks of other beauty and health habits, including “healmaxxing,” “sunmaxxing” and “beautymaxxing.”
However, like many TikTok sensations, most of the advice comes not from actual medical professionals but from influencers (or more like “sleep influencers”), some of whom are filming them in their dorm rooms bedtime.
Is maximizing sleep a good thing?
Some elements of maximizing sleep are valuable, such as proven lifestyle advice. For example, maintaining a regular sleep and eating plan has been shown to have benefits for your metabolism, immune system and overall health, says Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, MD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and medical director of sleep medicine at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Millennium Physicians Group of Fort Worth.
A consistent relaxation routine can help you stick to a regular wake-up time and get better quality sleep, which is good for your mental health. “Sleep maximization strategies—such as minimizing cell phone use and practicing relaxing meditation before bed—can help maintain a balanced mood, a realistic worldview, and strong emotional regulation skills,” says Lauren, a licensed psychotherapist and performance coach Farina, LCSW says it is based in Chicago.
Additionally, there are various breathing techniques, but the main takeaway is that deep, mindful breathing can reduce stress so you can fall asleep. One popular technique you may want to try is “box breathing,” a calming technique used by elite U.S. Navy SEALs. “Just three minutes of breathing before bed at night can help your body achieve the state of relaxation it needs for quality sleep,” says Farina.
Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg favors patients analyzing data from smart watches or fitness trackers to improve the length and quality of their sleep. However, while trackers primarily monitor movement, oxygen levels and breathing patterns, they don’t tell the full story of sleep and aren’t guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg said.
As with any health trend, sleep maximization can go too far in the wrong direction. It’s likely to lead to “norsomnia,” an unhealthy obsession with perfect sleep. Focusing too much on eight hours can lead to anxiety or obsessive behaviors, such as constantly tracking your sleep and punishing yourself when you don’t get enough sleep. This is especially true for those who invest too much in sleep trackers. “This can cause stress on the nervous system, which can be counterproductive to our efforts to support healthy sleep,” Farina added.
Which trends are worth pausing before delving deeper?
TikTok may inspire you to better prioritize sleep hygiene, but take some popular advice with a grain of salt. For example:
- Magnesium supplements or mocktails: Research on the effectiveness of magnesium is mixed. Be sure to talk to your doctor first to find the right dose and type of magnesium for you.
- Mouth tape: Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg says that if you’re prone to congestion, taping your mouth won’t significantly improve your snoring or improve your breathing (let alone do anything to improve your jawline). Dentists and medical experts note that it’s not suitable for everyone and the benefits vary.
- Shopping spree: Sorry to disappoint you, but there may not be the “perfect” pillow for quality rest. Many patients ask Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg about the ideal pillow, mattress or sheets, but there’s no data to suggest a magic pillowcase can help you reverse aging or sleep like a baby. Instead, Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg recommends establishing a sleep routine using whatever comfort items are most comfortable for you.
Just follow the expert-recommended sleep advice and you’ll be able to get the best sleep possible. Bottom line: Sleep maximization strategies should be more like guidelines than strict rules. Everyone’s body constitution and sleep habits are different. So turn on your sleep tracker and see what happens, but the key is to evaluate your average rest, rather than obsessively scoring hours of sleep, advises Dr. Abbasi-Feinberg. This is the true test for sleepers.
