A new social media phenomenon, known as sleepmaxxing, has captured the attention of millions online, promising methods to achieve “perfect sleep.” From mouth taping to rope-assisted neck swinging, the trend features extreme bedtime routines that claim to enhance rest, despite limited scientific support and potential health hazards.
What Is Sleepmaxxing?
Sleepmaxxing is a broad term used to describe practices, tools, and routines aimed at optimizing sleep. On platforms like TikTok and X, influencers share videos demonstrating techniques they say improve sleep quality and overall wellness. Posts often highlight visually striking or unconventional methods, which contributes to the trend’s viral nature.
Some common sleepmaxxing practices include:
1. Mouth taping to encourage nasal breathing
2. Weighted blankets for pressure therapy
3. Blue- or red-tinted glasses to regulate circadian rhythms
4. Eating specific fruits, like kiwis, before bed
While some approaches, such as using a weighted blanket, may offer comfort, many techniques lack medical backing and can pose serious risks.
Instagram | @sleepmattersclinic | People try mouth taping and other sleep habits without proven health benefits.
Extreme Practices and Safety Concerns
Among the more alarming sleepmaxxing methods is neck hanging, where individuals suspend themselves with ropes or belts, swinging gently to alleviate insomnia. Social media clips promoting this technique have amassed millions of views. However, experts warn it can be fatal, with at least one reported death in China linked to a similar routine.
Mouth taping is another widely promoted practice, believed to reduce snoring and improve oral health. Research from George Washington University, however, shows that most claimed benefits are unsupported by evidence. For people with conditions like sleep apnea, these practices could be particularly dangerous.
Psychological Impacts
The pressure to achieve flawless sleep can have unintended consequences. Specialists highlight a growing condition called orthosomnia, where anxiety about sleep itself interferes with rest.
1. The relentless pursuit of ideal sleep can increase stress levels.
2. Rigid routines often worsen sleep issues rather than solving them.
3. Emphasis on perfect rest may make minor disturbances feel like failures.
According to experts at Harvard Medical School, even people who generally sleep well experience natural variations in sleep quality. Setting unrealistic expectations can turn healthy sleep patterns into sources of anxiety.
The Beauty and Wellness Angle
Many sleepmaxxing posts focus on enhancing appearance rather than supporting genuine health. This mirrors another online trend, “looksmaxxing,” where influencers push unproven methods to boost attractiveness.
Products such as sleep-enhancing drink powders, mouth tapes, and melatonin gummies are often marketed alongside the trend. In some countries, including the UK, melatonin is available only with a prescription, and medical authorities advise caution. Evidence supporting melatonin for adult insomnia remains inconsistent, and placebo effects may further complicate perceptions of its efficacy.
Expert Warnings
Freepik | javi_indy| Experts caution that non-expert sleepmaxxing advice can negatively impact individuals with sleep disorders.
Medical professionals emphasize that sleepmaxxing advice frequently comes from non-experts and may increase pressure on those struggling with real sleep disorders. Kathryn Pinkham, an insomnia specialist, notes that attempting to control sleep with hacks can intensify anxiety, making it harder to rest.
Other tips promoted online, such as specific color glasses or pre-sleep snacks, often lack scientific validation. While some strategies may be harmless for casual sleepers, chronic insomnia sufferers risk harm if they adopt extreme measures.
Prioritizing Safe Sleep Over Trends
The sleepmaxxing craze highlights how social media can popularize unverified wellness practices. From mouth taping to swinging by ropes, many trends promise better sleep but carry real risks. Experts advise focusing on consistent, safe sleep habits rather than chasing perfection.
Prioritizing healthy routines—like regular sleep schedules, a calm environment, and evidence-based relaxation methods—offers measurable benefits without the hazards of extreme online trends.