Is TikTok’s ‘Sleepmaxxing’ trend yet another wellness fad – or is it glorifying SAD?

Sleep is how we start and end every single day. So it’s no surprise we’re a little obsessed with how much we’re getting and how good it is. But the ‘sleepmaxxing’ trend on TikTok might be taking that obsession too far.

Thousands of videos sharing tips and tricks that promise to give you a better, longer, deeper slumber have amassed 100 million views online. Influencers showcase tips on how you can ‘maxx your sleep’, varying wildly between using weighted blankets or listening to white noise, to eating two kiwis before bed or taping your mouth shut. But how to identify the useful advice from clickbait fallacies?

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The most repeated hack is to avoid drinking anything in the two hours before bed. Dr Chelsea Perry, owner of Sleep Solutions, says this is a good “simple habit” to follow, especially for those who regularly wake up at night. “Not drinking any liquids for a couple of hours before bed can help prevent those annoying midnight trips to the bathroom,” she explains, though you need to drink enough in the day to keep yourself hydrated.

She also supports another popular sleepmaxxing hack; sleeping in a cold room. Lower temperatures, Dr Perry says, “trigger the body’s natural drop in core temperature that occurs as you fall asleep, signalling it’s time to rest.” Aim to keep your bedroom at a comfortable 16-19°C to reduce tossing and turning as you try to warm or cool yourself in the night.

Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a neurophysiologist and sleep expert at Oak Tree Mobility, is a particular fan of sleepmaxxing’s tip to take magnesium. “Magnesium is a natural sedative, and some research suggests it can help with insomnia,” she explains. But while TikToks promote taking magnesium supplements before bed, Dr Ramlakhan prefers more natural, and affordable, ways of incorporating the mineral into diets.

“Magnesium can be ingested through foods like pumpkin seeds, nuts, soya milk and spinach,” she says. There’s a more luxurious way to reap the benefits though: “Magnesium can also be found in Epsom Salt. Run a bath with a mugful and soak for 20 minutes in the evening to help you relax.”

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One of the biggest tips of the social media trend is to get off social media. The blue light messes with melatonin production and the endless scrolling over-stimulates our brains. But technology is increasingly becoming part of people’s sleep routines. Sleepmaxxers regularly use apps and gadgets that measure sleep time, record sleep talking or oh-so-slight movements at night.

But both experts agree this tech does more harm than good. For Dr Ramlakhan, the problem with sleep tech is that it “drives obsession” with the quality and quantity of sleep, turning it into a competition, if only with yourself, adding stress, which is a major sleep inhibitor.

“Not surprisingly, there’s a form of insomnia that has risen as a result, called orthosomnia; the obsession with getting a good night’s sleep,” she explains.

Instead of ‘sleepmaxxing’, Dr Ramlakhan suggests a more sustainable approach. Her top tips, backed up by 25 years’ experience rather than the ability to set up a TikTok account, are:

1. Eat within the first 30 minutes of waking up to stabilise blood sugar levels and enhance your ability to produce melatonin later needed.

2. No coffee, tea, fizzy drinks or green tea after 4pm. However, having a milky drink can help.

3. Set reminders throughout the day to ensure you’re hydrated. 

4. Aim to be in bed between 9.30pm and 10pm at least three nights a week. Try winding down with a book and keep your room cool and dark. 

5. Keep tech out of the bedroom.

Trouble with sleeping can be exacerbated by shorter, darker days in winter. “Our bodies produce more melatonin, the hormone that signals us to sleep, and less serotonin, which affects mood and energy levels,” explains Dr Perry. It’s something we’ve evolved to do over millions of years to conserve energy during times of traditional food scarcity. But today it’s a hindrance, not a help.

The NHS estimates that around two million people in the UK experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) every year, with depression categorised by feelings of tiredness and lethargy beginning as the days get shorter. It’s understandable that people turn to sleep aids. But sleep itself isn’t a cure for SAD.

“When you’re genuinely tired, you’ll likely notice signs like struggling to concentrate, yawning or finding it hard to stay awake,” says Dr Perry.

“In contrast, fatigue from low mood may feel more like a sense of heaviness, a reluctance to engage in usual activities, or a lack of motivation without physical tiredness.” In that case, seeking medical help would be more helpful than checking the latest trend on TikTok.

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