Has the pursuit of trying to optimise our sleep gone too far? We explore the sleepmaxxing trend and its potential negative effect on our health

From sleep tourism to micronapping and sleep-syncing, optimising our sleep has become one of the biggest wellness trends of the year. The idea of trying to get as much good quality rest as possible has recently been coined “sleepmaxxing,” but has it gone too far? 

Across social media, particularly in recent years, we’ve seen a rise in content surrounding the idea that we need to get as much sleep as possible. With people sharing their sleep tips and “advice” online, sleepmaxxing has quickly become a bit of a wellness trend. It’s even gained a competitive edge, with some celebrities boasting 14-hour sleep scores. 

While we know that good quality sleep is important for our physical health and wellbeing, too much of it could actually have the opposite effect. What’s more, some people have become so fixed on tracking their sleep that doctors have seen a rise in insomnia and orthosomnia – a term used to describe poor sleep as the result of an unhealthy obsession with sleep-tracking devices.

What is sleepmaxxing (and why could it be detrimental to our wellbeing)? 

‘Sleepmaxxing’ is the latest buzzword that’s circulating on social media platforms like TikTok. It sees people sharing their sleep scores and the often extreme lengths that they go to to maximise their sleep. However, the quest for sleep optimisation might actually come at a cost to our health. With people more concerned about their sleep than ever, the latest trend has seen a rise in perfectionist tendencies among those desperate to try and better their sleep quality. 

Naturally, many companies have hopped on this trend. From temperature-controlling mattresses to AI headbands, weighted sleep masks and sleep trackers like the Oura ring, new ways to monitor our z’s seem to be constantly making their way onto the market. Not only does this highlight potential sleep inequalities (we can’t deny the cost of many of these devices if your budget allows), but there are also questions about how accurate these gadgets really are. 

Of course, for many of us wanting longer, deeper sleep, these are additional aids that might help some, but certainly won’t work for everybody. Sleep can also fascinate a lot of people, with questions about why we dream and what different stages of sleep actually mean, and sleep trackers can facilitate this curiosity. Vanessa Hill, a behavioural sleep scientist at the Appleton Institute, told The Independent that, whilst none of these gadgets are likely to help you sleep better, they might make you more comfortable and if that’s the case, then great. 

When this spills into an unhealthy obsession with analysing our sleep, however, this can be detrimental to our health. Our sleep can become more disturbed, leaving us feeling groggy the next day and some of us might develop sleep anxiety as we worry about whether we'll get a good night's shut-eye. The hype around these technologies can also be problematic for those suffering from insomnia. With roughly one in three people in the UK experiencing insomnia at some point in their lives, it’s argued that these devices fail to get to the route cause of poor sleep, such as stress or anxiety. Rather than feeling the need to regularly check a sleep tracker throughout the night, many experts say that we can determine the quality of our sleep simply by how we feel. 

How much sleep do we actually need? 

Generally speaking, adults should get between seven to nine hours sleep per night. Some people can function on less, whilst others might need longer. The important thing to note is that sleep differs for everybody – something that the sleepmaxxing trend doesn’t take into consideration. The Sleep Foundation notes that, ultimately, it’s about the quality of your sleep and how restorative it is. 

Although many of these devices claim to improve your sleep, it’s pretty unlikely that they actually do. However, we know that things like a supportive mattress, reducing caffeine intake, minimising light and sound disruptions and disconnecting from electronic devices can go a long way to optimising our sleep, so perhaps we need to prioritise our sleep hygiene over the latest gadgets.

And, of course, we can take a holistic approach to sleep, too. If you’re struggling with insomnia or find that anxious thoughts are keeping you awake, working with a professional – like a counsellor or hypnotherapist – can help. You can connect with a wellbeing professional on Happiful to help you on your journey to sleeping more soundly.