Sleepmaxxing: The wellness trend that’s all about getting back to the basics of good sleep

If you’ve scrolled TikTok lately, you may have seen influencers talking about sleepmaxxing. The idea sounds powerful: treat sleep like a productivity tool, much like biohacking or gymmaxxing. Get it right, they promise, and you’ll unlock more energy, sharper focus, a stronger immune system, and even better metabolism.

It’s a catchy concept. But what exactly does sleepmaxxing mean – and how much of it really works?

We sat down with Stefan Chimoskey, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine physician at Intermountain Health, to unpack the hype and highlight what actually makes a difference.

What is sleepmaxxing?

Sleepmaxxing is a social media–driven trend that focuses on “optimizing” sleep to get the most out of rest. The routines vary, but the core idea is the same: sleep isn’t just recovery, it’s an investment in your performance and long-term health.

Depending on which influencer you follow, that might include:

• taping your mouth shut at night
• showering exactly one hour before bedtime
• sleeping in a perfectly cool, dark room
• cutting caffeine entirely
• eating kiwis or taking magnesium before bed
• using weighted blankets, white noise machines, or smart mattress covers
• tracking every stage of sleep with a wearable

The goal? To sleep “better than average” and maximize the benefits of rest.

But here’s the catch: while some of these habits are backed by decades of science, others are little more than viral hacks, and a few can even be risky.

“The term is new,” says Dr. Chimoskey, “but the principles are what we work on in sleep medicine every day.”

The building blocks of better sleep

If there’s one takeaway from decades of sleep research, it’s this: consistency matters more than anything else.

“Variability is the enemy of good sleep,” explains Dr. Chimoskey.

When your bedtime and wake-up time swing widely, your body’s internal clock gets out of sync. Think of it like jet lag: your system struggles to keep up. Teenagers on summer break, retirees without a set schedule, or shift workers often feel this effect most strongly.

Beyond consistency, the other basics are straightforward: keep your room comfortable, limit alcohol and caffeine in the evening, and give yourself time to wind down. These strategies may not make flashy TikTok content, but they’re the cornerstones of better sleep.

Where hype meets health risks

Not all sleepmaxxing trends are created equal. Some are harmless experiments. Others can be dangerous.

Take mouth taping. While influencers tout it as a snoring fix, there’s little evidence to support it – and it may be unsafe for people with undiagnosed sleep apnea.

Supplements also deserve caution. Magnesium may help with restless legs in some people, but it hasn’t been shown to improve sleep for most. Melatonin is widely misused. It’s not meant as a catch-all sleep aid. It’s most effective for shifting circadian rhythms, such as during jet lag. And many products sold over the counter are at much higher doses than necessary.

Then there are wearables and sleep trackers. They’ve made people more aware of their rest, which is a good thing. But they’re not medical devices.

“I’ve seen patients who worry because their sleep score is an 87 and their friend’s is a 93,” Dr. Chimoskey says. “That kind of obsession can actually make sleep worse.”

The term for this is orthosomnia – sleep problems triggered by worrying too much about sleep.

So how should you use these tools? As a rough guide to trends, not a diagnostic measure. What matters most is how you feel when you’re awake: alert, focused, and functioning.

Why chasing “perfect sleep” can backfire

One of the hidden risks of sleepmaxxing is the expectation that you can engineer perfect sleep every night. That’s simply not realistic. Even healthy sleepers have off nights.

Trying to force flawless sleep often backfires, creating anxiety that makes it harder to drift off. Instead of aiming for perfection, shift the focus: Do you generally wake feeling refreshed? Can you get through your day with good energy and stable mood? Those markers are more meaningful than what your wearable tells you.

When to talk to a sleep specialist

For many people, getting back to the basics – consistent schedules, healthier routines – will be enough. But not always.

If you find yourself lying awake for 30 minutes or more most nights, waking up repeatedly, or feeling consistently unrefreshed despite spending enough time in bed, it may be time for help. Snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing are also red flags that shouldn’t be ignored.

A sleep specialist can determine whether the problem is medical, behavioral, or a mix of both. Sometimes that means a home sleep test to check for sleep apnea. Other times, an overnight sleep study in a lab provides more detail, measuring brain waves, breathing, oxygen, and movement.

And for chronic insomnia, the most effective approach is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). This structured program retrains your sleep habits and thoughts about sleep, often bringing meaningful improvement in just six to eight weeks.

“When you fix sleep, people feel better,” Dr. Chimoskey says. “That’s why it’s foundational. It touches everything.”

Sleep as preventative medicine

What TikTok gets right is this: sleep is a cornerstone of physical and mental health.

Consistent, restorative sleep supports your immune system, balances mood, improves focus, and even protects your heart. It’s as essential as exercise and nutrition. Elite athletes now schedule sleep as part of their training, and research shows workplaces benefit when employees are rested and alert.

Don’t max out, just get the basics right

The buzz around sleepmaxxing highlights something important: younger generations are finally recognizing sleep as health, not just rest. That’s a good thing.

But the truth is, you don’t need to rebrand the basics. The best sleep strategy is still the simplest one: keep a steady schedule, protect your environment, and treat rest as a priority. Leave the gimmicks behind, and don’t let a gadget define how you feel.

If better habits aren’t enough, that’s when professional guidance makes a difference.

At Intermountain Health, we believe sleep is essential to living the healthiest life possible. Our board-certified sleep specialists can uncover the root causes of sleep struggles and create a plan that works – whether that means behavioral strategies, a home sleep test, or advanced treatments.

Because when you protect your sleep, you’re investing in your long-term health, happiness, and quality of life.