Sleepmaxxing: the TikTok craze that’s here to upgrade your sleep game

IF YOU'VE scrolled through TikTok lately (no judgment, we all do it), you've probably seen the rise of quirky sleep routines.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

From “mouth-taping” to sipping sleepy mocktails, people are diving headfirst into what’s now dubbed sleepmaxxing. It’s being hailed as the ultimate hack to level up your REM sleep and wake up feeling like a million bucks.

Based on several studies, South Korea and Japan are considered among the most sleep-deprived countries globally.

Closer to home in South Africa, sleep deprivation is just as prevalent, with studies suggesting that over 30% of adults report poor sleep quality, according to the South African Society of Sleep Medicine (SASSM).

What is sleepmaxxing?

At its core, sleepmaxxing is about optimising your sleep hygiene to make sure every snooze session is as restorative as possible.

Think of it as the “biohacking” of bedtime. The idea is to tweak your lifestyle and nighttime routine to maximize the quality of your sleep and, in turn, level up your physical and mental health.

Some of the TikTok-approved hacks include:

• Mouth-taping: Taping your mouth shut to encourage nasal breathing (yes, really).

• Sleep cocktails: Think magnesium powders or melatonin smoothies designed to knock you out. While these trends sound quirky (and maybe a little intense), the core concept of sleepmaxxing revolves around improving your sleep hygiene.

What's messing with your sleep, anyway?