We all want to get better sleep, but when youâre a college student pulling all-nighters, getting eight hours of well-rested sleep is nearly impossible. According to Her Campus’s 2024 Mental Health survey of 580 respondents, 34% said that their sleep habits contribute negatively to their mental health. So, it shouldnât be too much of a surprise that TikTok has already created a trend thatâs all about getting a good nightâs rest: I introduce you to sleepmaxxing.Â
Branching out from other âmaxxingâ trends like âlooksmaxxing,â where folks try to improve their physical appearance either through simple hygiene changes, like mewing, or extreme processes like cosmetic surgery. Sometimes the trend can be over the top and become meme-worthy and incredibly cringe (especially since the idea of âmaxxingâ originated from incel forums, which isnât really surprising, TBH). With âmaxxing,” itâs argued you can make these kinds of drastic changes, but the majority of time, it doesnât quite work for everyone.Â
So, when it comes to sleepmaxxing, you might think that itâs going to be just as extreme as any of the other “maxxing” trends, but it actually does offer some good health advice. So, what does sleepmaxxing mean? And how can we try it out for ourselves?
What Does Sleepmaxxing Mean?
Sleepmaxxing calls for optimizing a personâs sleep by incorporating various techniques, routines, and gadgets in order to receive a deeper and longer sleep. Even adjusting your environment, creating strict sleep schedules, or establishing sleep rituals like meditation or journaling can be categorized under sleepmaxxing. It looks a lot like basic sleep advice, but through cozy, aestheticized videos that look a lot like ASMR, sleep is being advocated to folks in a way thatâs entertaining and pleasing to the eye.Â
When we think of establishing a sleep routine, sleepmaxxing recommends dimming your lights, limiting screen time, and avoiding caffeine before heading to bed, which are all valid methods that can assist with improving sleep. Things like a weighted blanket (which is my personal favorite sleep gadget), sleep trackers, noise machines, or light therapy lamps are also becoming popularized through this viral TikTok trend.Â
Additionally, even altering the way we sleep is another process that sleepmaxxing advocates, such as Polyphasic sleep and lucid dreaming. Polyphasic sleep refers to breaking up your sleep patterns, such as taking multiple naps during the day instead of one long sleep at night; popular schedules include the Uberman, which consists of six 20-minute naps in a day, and the Everyman, which includes sleeping for three hours during the night and taking three 20-minute naps throughout the day. Some of these sleep schedules can be a little extreme, as itâs definitely not for everyone; it works best for those working unusual or sporadic hours like night shifts.Â
When you incorporate ways to improve sleep, youâll also get to reap the benefits of what sleep can provide for our minds and bodies: enhanced moods and emotion regulation, improved physical health, and even reduced risks of developing chronic health conditions. Sleep is an essential part of our livelihood, and itâs great that the promotion of receiving better sleep is flooding the internet.Â
Of course, when it comes to internet trends, be cautious of potentially going too extreme when it comes to sleepmaxxing. Watch out for misinformation, as you want to look for sleep advice thatâs backed by evidence. Additionally, some sleep gadgets can be disruptive rather than helpful, as ones that emit blue light will only make you feel more alert rather than tired. Everyone is different when it comes to sleep routines, so itâs all about finding the one that works best for you. Be realistic with your sleep expectations, and try not to overthink it.