Yahoo Lifestyle Experts Warn Against Viral "Sleepmaxxing" Trend
If you’ve ever had a string of nights in which you didn’t sleep well, you know what it’s like to yearn for a good snooze so much that you’ll do nearly anything to make it happen. “Thirty-nine percent of adults in the U.S. usually lack adequate sleep in terms of quality,” says Suhaib Haq, M.D., a family physician at University Health in San Antonio, Texas, who is board-certified in sleep medicine. “So, a lot of people are sleep-deprived.”
Since the pandemic, Dr. Haq says, there’s been a shift in which many people are prioritizing self-care (including sleep) and attempting to “sleepmax.”
While the trend — which involves employing a bunch of sleep strategies at once — may sound like a good idea, it’s probably not the smartest bandwagon to jump on. “There are a lot of good things in it, and there are some things that may look benign, but in the long run, may affect you in a negative way,” says Dr. Haq.
Here's a scenario of what "sleepmaxxing" could look like: covering yourself in a weighted blanket and using mouth tape after taking melatonin as a white noise machine is on in the background and a sleeping mask is on your eyes. A bit much.
Yes, sleep is important
We all need sleep. In fact, adults need 7 to 8 hours of high-quality sleep every night for our bodies to function at their best. If you don’t get enough sleep one night, the negative effects can linger until you catch up. “If you skip breakfast and lunch, you're going to be a lot hungrier at dinnertime, and you're going to eat. You’ll probably eat more, but you cannot eat breakfast, lunch and dinner quantity of food at the same time,” says Dr. Haq. “On the other hand, if you don't sleep for a night, that debt follows you the next night, and if you do not put in the extra hours, it will lead to the debt following you for a couple of days, maybe a few weeks.”
But sleepmaxxing isn't the solution
“Sleep is very fundamental for your overall health and well-being,” says Dr. Haq. “And if there's anything you want to invest in, that is your sleep.” However, people who “sleepmax” tend to try all sorts of sleep “hacks” at once in an effort to improve their shuteye without actually getting to the root cause of their sleep issues. It’s like throwing a bunch of bandages on a wound that’s gushing blood without stopping the bleed. “Just following the social trend may not bring them the relief they are looking for,” says Dr. Haq.
Sleep strategies to avoid
There are a number of reasons why you should steer clear of the sleep strategies listed below. “Some of these things actually do help, but may lead to a false sense of security and may lead to delaying the diagnosis of some underlying sleep conditions and costing a lot of money for stuff that is not proven to be effective,” says Dr. Haq. “And when a person is investing so much time and money and effort in maximizing their sleep, and they don't get good results, that may lead to anxiety that may make their sleep issues worse.” Don’t try any of these four things without approval from your doctor.
Supplements
If you eat a balanced diet and your physician hasn’t recommended any supplements, then it may not be the best idea to take them for sleep — especially long-term. They’re unregulated and could have unpleasant side effects. In fact, while magnesium and melatonin are commonly taken by people trying to get better shuteye, magnesium can cause gastrointestinal issues and melatonin is often sold in higher doses than what is recommended so you could end up way too sleepy, according to Dr. Haq.
Mouth taping
The idea here is that if you tape your mouth shut when you sleep, it forces you to breathe through your nose, which may reduce snoring and help you sleep more deeply. However, it can be dangerous for people who have sleep apnea, a condition that involves repeated interruptions in breathing. “Somebody who has sleep apnea, if they're mouth-taping, they may be suffocating themselves more because breathing through the mouth is the eventual rescue for sleep apnea,” says Dr. Haq.
Nostril expanders
“While nostril expanders do help for patients who may have some snoring, most of the snoring does happen in the back part of the throat so it is a false remedy for an underlying condition that may need different interventions,” says Dr. Haq.
Trackers
“A lot of people are using sleep trackers on their phone or their smart watches,” says Dr. Haq. “People who use these sleep gadgets may end up waiting to try to see their progress, and that can induce more anxiety and more push them more towards insomnia, or sometimes what we call paradoxical insomnia — a person who is sleeping well, but they think they're not.”
Healthy sleep hacks that actually work
Instead of everything listed above, Dr. Haq says adopting these lifestyle tweaks may actually improve your sleep:
Skip caffeine and alcohol in the evening.
Save vigorous workouts for the morning.
Go to bed and wake up at a fixed time every day.
Establish a pre-bed routine that doesn’t involve electronic devices or unnecessary supplements.
Incorporate calming activities into your nighttime routine, such as taking a warm bath, reading a book or listening to soft music.
Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool.
Consider using a white noise machine to drown out noises.
Avoid looking at screens such as a television, laptop or phone in bed.
Make sure you have a nice, supportive mattress and pillow with comfortable bedding.
The bottom line
Sleep is a normal physiological process, but it sometimes requires work to make it truly restorative, notes Dr. Haq. Pay attention to your body, exercise regularly, eat healthy foods and see your doctor for preventive visits to prevent sleep disturbances from occurring. And if you continue to have trouble sleeping night after night, schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist to figure out the root problem behind what’s going on and come up with a treatment plan.
You Might Also Like
