ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Sleepmaxxing is a viral social media trend with over 100 million posts focused on maximizing sleep for better health, productivity, and happiness.
The term “sleepmaxxing” refers to various approaches people take to improve and optimize their sleep.
While the term’s origin is unclear, it reflects growing interest in improving sleep quality beyond simply getting enough hours.
Dr. Anita Shelgikar, professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, says the idea behind sleepmaxxing isn’t bad but cautions people to be careful about what they believe.
The cool kids use terms like “cap, no cap, or sus,” and, for the purposes of this article, cap is lingo for “lie,” no cap means “true,” and sus is short for “suspect.”
Regarding taping your mouth shut during sleep, Shelgikar calls it “sus,” meaning questionable.
Shelgikar explains that while some want to breathe through their nose, taping the mouth can worsen breathing if there are nasal obstructions and may cause anxiety or a sense of suffocation.
Using red lights before bed is “no cap,” or true, according to Shelgikar.
Warmer colors like red and orange are less alerting than blue or white light, making them helpful in the bedtime environment.
Cooling your room down a bit is also “no cap,” as a cooler environment helps the body fall asleep.
However, making the room ultra cold could be “sus” since it might wake some people up.
Weighted blankets fall between “no cap” and “sus.”
They have been studied in specific patient groups and may help some individuals, but there is insufficient evidence to recommend them for everyone.
Nasal dilators are classified as external or internal.
External nasal strips are “no cap” and generally safe, possibly helping open nasal passages.
Internal dilators are more “sus” because of individual anatomical differences that could make them helpful or harmful.
Melatonin is “sus” when used without medical supervision.
Though available over the counter, it should be taken with guidance on dose and timing to avoid negative effects.
Regarding sleep trackers, Shelgikar says they range from “no cap” to “sus.”
They can be helpful if used to adjust routines, but they may cause anxiety if they become a chore.
In summary, while sleepmaxxing recognizes the importance of sleep for health, some popular hacks require caution and expert guidance to avoid harm.