Can ‘Sleepmaxxing’ Really Help You Get Better Rest? Here’s What Experts Say

If you’ve spent any amount of time on TikTok, you’ve likely come across “sleepmaxxing.” This wellness trend is all about, well, maximizing your sleep every night with practices like mouth taping, pineal gland meditation, sleeping in a cold room, and more.

However, sleep medicine experts caution that some of these tips don’t actually have much science to back them up. In fact, being hypervigilant about the amount of sleep you are getting could have the opposite effect and cause stress and anxiety. In extreme cases, it could lead to orthosomnia—a fixation on getting the ideal night’s sleep.

“Being obsessed with sleep can lead you to get less sleep,” Beth Oller, MD, FAAFP, a family physician at Rooks County Health Center, told Health.

Sleepmaxxing is a term used on social media for optimizing sleep quality and quantity, Safia S. Khan, MD, a sleep disorders expert at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, told Health.

The trend involves improving sleep hygiene to the max with practices like limiting blue light in the evening, sleeping in a cooler room, and avoiding caffeine. A few other practices, like mouth taping and pineal gland meditation, lack research to support their sleep-improving claims.

There are a wide variety of sleepmaxxing tips and trends online, but sleep experts indicate that not all have been researched or are even recommended. Some are even downright dangerous.

1. Taking Magnesium Supplements

There is some evidence that magnesium can help your body relax, Martina Vendrame, MD, PhD, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Lehigh Valley Health Network, told Health. However, it’s not a magic bullet for sleep.

“Magnesium can help improve sleep by helping regulate melatonin and activating our parasympathetic nervous system, which keeps us calm and helps us relax,” said Dr. Oller. “[But], I would recommend talking to your family physician about dosing and formulation. You can also work to increase your dietary intake of magnesium from whole foods.”

2. Taping Your Mouth at Night

Mouth taping involves taping your mouth shut at night to try to force yourself to breathe through your nose. Dr. Vendrame says it’s mostly a fad. There isn’t enough research behind it, and it’s not safe for everyone, especially for people with sleep apnea.

“It could cause impairment in breathing and reduced oxygen levels,” said Dr. Oller. “It also [could] cause disrupted sleep for many when they are unable to breathe through their mouth.”

3. Using Pineal Glad Meditation

Pineal gland meditation is a breathing technique associated with activating the pineal gland, a small gland in your brain that produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep and wakefulness.

Dr. Vendrame says this recommendation is mostly a fad. “There’s no real science linking this kind of meditation to better sleep through the pineal gland specifically.”

4. Wearing Nostril Expanders

Nostril expanders may help people with nasal congestion or mild snoring, but there is not much proven benefit beyond that, according to Dr. Vendrame.

If nasal congestion is interfering with your sleep, Dr. Khan suggests seeing an otolaryngologist (or ear, nose, and throat specialist) for evaluation. “Treating seasonal or environmental allergies with medications or nasal rinses works better than nasal expanders,” she says.

5. Sleeping in a Cold Room

Sleeping in a cooler room can help promote sleep, said Dr. Vendrame. “A cooler room helps your body temperature drop, which makes it easier to fall and stay asleep.”

It also stimulates melatonin production, which can help curb insomnia.

6. Taking Melatonin

There is good evidence in some cases for using melatonin to promote sleep, said Dr. Vendrame.

“Melatonin also can help with jet lag or adjusting to a new sleep schedule, but it doesn’t help much with chronic insomnia for most people.”

7. Sleeping With White Noise

There is good evidence that white noise can be helpful for sleep. “White noise can block out background sounds and help people fall asleep faster or sleep more deeply,” said Dr. Vendrame.

However, it’s not for everyone, added Dr. Khan. “I prefer a quiet environment for the best sleep quality. Any noise can be stimulating for the brain, and reduces deep sleep. But it is a personal preference.”

8. Using a Weighted Blanket

There is some evidence that weighted blankets can help promote sleep, said Dr. Vendrame. They can help people with anxiety or sensory issues feel more relaxed, she says, which may lead to better sleep.

While prioritizing sleep is important, becoming hypervigilant can be unhealthy, especially if it interferes with other aspects of life, like spending time with others or eating a healthy meal.

“Sleep is a passive process,” said Dr. Khan. “It requires you to be relaxed and not worried about sleep or anything else to be able to fall asleep. Being very focused on sleep can adversely affect your perceived quality of sleep.”

In fact, multiple studies have demonstrated that sleep issues are more common in people with anxiety disorders.

If being vigilant about your sleep leads to consistently better sleep, then Dr. Vendrame says you should continue prioritizing your sleep.

But if your efforts turn into a stressful routine with no real benefits, then it might not help at all. “You might stress yourself out trying to follow a rigid routine or feel like you’re failing if sleep doesn’t go perfectly.”

When it comes to improving sleep, there are a number of things you can do to make sure you are getting enough sleep at night without resorting to untested tips and tricks. Here are some ways to improve your sleep:

• Get seven to nine hours of sleep each night
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends
• Establish a consistent bedtime routine
• Do something relaxing before turning in
• Keep your room cool and comfortable
• Avoid using electronics in bed 
• Spend time outside to maintain your body’s sleep-wake cycle
• Contact a sleep medicine professional if you have trouble sleeping, feel tired daily, or have signs of a sleep disorder

Sleepmaxxing, a term made popular by social media, involves using tips and techniques to optimize and improve sleep.

While some of the suggestions, like limiting blue light and sleeping in a cold room, are proven sleep hygiene techniques, others, like mouth taping, are unproven and sometimes dangerous.

If you are concerned about your sleep or you feel tired a lot, talk to your healthcare provider.