Expert warns against Gen Z’s dangerous obsession with ‘sleep maxxing’

Gone are the days of sinking into a good book or counting sheep, as Gen Z is increasingly going out of its way to ensure a good night’s sleep.

The popularity of sleep optimization – now called sleep maxxing – has increased in recent months, with young people taking painstaking efforts, including mouth taping, mocktail sipping and magnesium foot spritzing, to improve their sleep.

The trend to improve sleep is likely a result of people’s desire to get more of it since then only a quarter of Britons get the amount of sleep they think they need.

According to a Woolroom survey earlier this year, tTwo-thirds of Britons get by on just six hours of sleep a night – far less than the seven to nine hours recommended by the NHS.

The obsession with sleep progression has exploded on TikTok, where insomniacs have sought out a smorgasbord of drowsy remedies, usually aimed at improving circadian rhythm.

The methods go far beyond the old-fashioned techniques of counting sheep or dropping a few drops of lavender oil on the pillow – with sleep seekers now making sleepy mocktails, taping their mouths shut and taking magnesium before going to bed.

A popular method intended to achieve higher quality sleep is mouth taping – a practice in which sleepers literally tape their mouths shut to reduce snoring and bad breath.

On TikTok, mouth taping has more than 250 million tags, with hundreds of videos showing people using a sleep hack to get a better night’s sleep.

The method works to force sleepers to breathe through their noses, which is usually the cause of snoring and sleep apnea. However, the results of mouth taping are currently only anecdotal and little research has been done to support the claims.

Another popular sleep aid is the Sleepy Girl Mocktail, a mixture of them tart cherry juice and magnesium, which TikTokers promise will help them achieve “the best sleep of their lives.”

However, some experts have warned that the mocktail may do more harm than good, as magnesium can have a laxative effect.

In high doses, magnesium can relax the muscles in the intestines and stomach, increasing the sense of urgency, nutritionist Toby King warned.

Others have warned about the counterintuitive effect of the sugar in the drink’s cherry element, which can raise blood pressure and make falling asleep even more difficult.

More extreme techniques include using an Oura ring – which retails for £395 plus subscription fees – to track and monitor sleep patterns. Other expensive sleep aids include a “sunrise alarm clock,” which is intended to wake you according to your circadian rhythms.

Most sleepmaxxing remedies are divisive among a wider audience. With each new ritual, experts have criticized methods that have not been verified by science.

According to James ‘The Sleep Geek’ Wilson of Mattress Online, the trend of sleepmaxxing could actually make things much worse, as it makes people obsessive about nighttime routines.

He told FEMAIL: ‘In my day-to-day work, the trend of Sleep Maxxing is causing most people who try it to sleep worse.’

This is because it can cause orthosomnia, which James says leads some to “be overly obsessed with our sleep, seeking out the perfect sleep, and ultimately leading to anxiety and stress about the sleep we get.”

“This is obviously not helpful because when we are stressed and anxious we sleep worse,” he warned.

Commenting on some specific trends within the community, he said the Sleeping Girls mocktail “is unlikely to help significantly” but could act as a placebo at best.

While mouth tape can have even more serious consequences such as suffocation. ‘“There is no evidence that this practice improves sleep, and it masks key symptoms of a serious sleep disorder called ‘sleep apnea,'” he said.

“These symptoms include snoring and choking, and it causes those living with it to stop breathing at night.” The potential risks far outweigh the anecdotal benefits, which often come from people trying to sell the used tape,” he continued.

‘Nose breathing is good for our well-being. The best way to do this more at night is to consciously practice it during the day.’

The term orthosomnia was first coined in 2017 by researchers from Rush Medical College and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, who noted that there was an increase in the number of people seeking treatment for self-diagnosed sleep problems.

In The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, researchers compared fixation to the eating disorder orthorexia, raising concerns that there was a growing “perfectionistic search for ideal sleep.”

Although the recommendations say the same thing, attitudes towards a good night’s sleep have changed significantly over the past decade as Generation Z demands a full night in bed.

Professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of a sleep center at the school. Matthew Walker told it The New York Times: “People – especially Gen Z – have demanded their right to a full night’s sleep, and they have done so without shame.”

And for those who don’t get the eight hours of sleep they want, it can have a negative impact on their mental wellbeing, as research from bedding company Woolroom found that 40 percent of people reported increased stress levels after a bad night’s sleep.

The same survey also found that 36 percent said they felt anxious when they didn’t sleep well.

However, Mattress Online’s James said he believed the TikTok trend has its roots in something more sinister.

He said: ‘It has become increasingly prominent in recent months as podcasters and influencers provide a platform for practices and theories that have little or no evidence, and promote brands that sell the products behind these trends, which they often have done. secret commercial arrangements with.’

Rather than obsessively experimenting with online remedies, James suggested first understanding what kind of sleeper you might be.

Solving the cause of the problem can lead to finding the most effective antidote.

He said: ‘The best way to sleep better is to understand who you are as a sleeper, find out what’s keeping you from sleeping and look for the best advice and/or products to solve that specific problem .’