Does sleepmaxxing actually improve your sleep?

• Sleepmaxxing is a trend that uses products and practices to optimize sleep quality and duration.
• Some sleepmaxxing methods are based on science, while others are considered internet fads.
• Sleep specialists recommend focusing on basic sleep hygiene, like a consistent schedule, over expensive trends.

While diet and exercise have always been center stage in any discussion about better health, sleep has had a fascinating glow-up in recent years. Instead of running quietly in the background, sleep evangelists are shouting about its importance from the rooftops, and neuroscientists are dragging it out into the light of day on TED Talk stages for further dissection. 

And let’s not forget the content creators on social media who continue to spin sleep trends into a viral status — the latest being sleepmaxxing. 

According to David E McCarty, MD, FAASM, and co-creator of the Empowered Sleep Apnea Project, “[Sleepmaxxing] is a simple enough idea: if we perfectly engineer sleep and health, it follows that cognition, mood, metabolism, and productivity will follow.” And while McCarty says that “some of these practices are evidence-based and biologically plausible, some are mostly internet theater.” The difficulty, he warns, “is telling the difference.” 

Is sleepmaxxing a follow-worthy trend? USA TODAY explores that below.

What is sleepmaxxing?

Sleepmaxxing refers to a set of products, practices and biohacks used to optimize sleep quality and duration. One notable aspect of sleepmaxxing is that those who dig in tend to view sleep more as a performance tool than as a period of rest. Ahead, our experts weigh in on some of the more popular aspects of sleepmaxxing. 

Is sleepmaxxing the answer to a better night’s sleep?

The issue with sleepmaxxing is when optimization chases perfection (spoiler alert: there’s no such thing as perfect sleep). And while a $3,000 mattress or a 22-step wind-down routine may look like the answer to your sleepless nights, the real answer is likely to be far more accessible, like keeping a consistent sleep-wake schedule and sharpening your sleep hygiene. Ultimately, better sleep should make your life easier—not more stressful. 

Solid sleepmaxxing science

Fine-tuning sleep hygiene

According to McCarty, “Contemporary sleep hygiene recommendations emphasize regular sleep-wake timing, dark, cool, and quiet sleeping environments, management of pre-sleep sources of central nervous system arousal, and reduction of alcohol and caffeine exposure near bedtime.” 

He adds, “These foundational principles of healthy sleep are remarkably ordinary, based on unsexy stuff, and not particularly click-inducing, but, that’s where most of the water is carried.”

Investing in cooling tech

Dr. Chris Winter, Neurologist, Sleep Specialist, and Best-Selling Author at Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, says that cooling mattress pads are a worthwhile investment. “Core body temperature needs to drop to initiate and maintain sleep, and if your sleep environment is too warm, you’re working against your own biology,” he says. “For people who run hot or share a bed with someone who has completely different temperature preferences, this is one of the more legitimate investments you can make in your sleep.” 

Winter notes that cooling mattress pads aren’t cheap, but unlike many other sleep gadgets or hacks, it’s “science-backed and will actually do something your body needs.” 

Sleepmaxxing products explained

Mouth tape

Based on the idea that keeping the mouth closed during sleep may improve breathing, snoring and sleep quality, mouth taping has gone viral in recent years. However, research supporting these claims is limited. McCarty highlights a 2025 systematic review of 10 studies involving 213 patients. Only two studies showed meaningful improvement in sleep-disordered breathing. The other eight studies showed no measurable benefit from the practice. 

McCarty adds that while many sleepmaxxing practices are relatively harmless, mouth taping may be the exception. More specifically, researchers have warned that mouth taping could be dangerous for people with nasal obstruction, potentially increasing the risk of breathing difficulties or asphyxiation, especially since many studies excluded patients with existing nasal issues.

Blue-light blocking glasses

McCarty says that blue-light blocking glasses are based on a legitimate biological concept (that blue light affects circadian rhythms and melatonin production). However, he notes that though some studies suggest they may benefit specific groups such as shift workers, insomnia patients or people with delayed sleep phase disorders, there is limited evidence to support that they meaningfully improve sleep for most people.

Magnesium supplements

“Magnesium supplementation has a somewhat stronger scientific basis, as magnesium plays an important role in sleep-related neurochemical signaling and circadian regulation,” says McCarty. 

While McCarty notes that some studies have linked magnesium supplements to lower odds of short sleep duration and to modest improvements in sleep-onset latency in certain populations, McCarty cautions that the overall research remains mixed. “Magnesium may help some people subjectively sleep better, but again, current evidence does not support the sweeping claims commonly seen on social media,” he says. 

Other sleepmaxxing practices and products

Other best sleep products for sleepmaxxing include:

• Sleep tracking devices 
• Grounding mats
• Sunrise alarm clocks 
• White noise machines
• Weighted blankets 
• Highly structured nighttime routines

Signs your sleep routine is becoming unhealthy

Fine-tuning your sleep health and hygiene is never a bad idea. But Winter warns against slipping into orthosomnia — “the obsessive pursuit of optimal sleep metrics based on fitness tracker or mobile phone app data.” Winter says, “The moment things start to go from optimization to obsession and the pursuit of perfect sleep creates the exact anxiety that destroys it, that’s when you know your routine may be going a little too far.” 

McCarty adds, the warning signs of an unhealthy sleep routine look like earnestness, including:

• Increasing concern about metrics coming from wearables 
• Escalating supplement stacks without meaningful improvement
• Rigid sleep rituals 
• Excessive time spent in bed attempting to force sleep
• Avoidance of ordinary social activities because they interfere with the protocol

3 practical ways to optimize your sleep

Healthy sleep habits should improve your overall sense of health and well-being, not add another source of stress to your life. So instead of experimenting with potentially dangerous sleep-optimization practices or wasting time on hacks that don’t move the needle, try leaning into what sleep experts have been saying for years — practice good sleep hygiene.  

• Maintain consistent sleep and wake times. “Your circadian rhythm runs best when it’s set consistently,” says Winter.
• Keep your bedroom cool and dark. Winter explains, “Your body needs its core temperature to drop to fall and stay asleep, and light sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to be awake.” And while cooling tech may be helpful here, optimizing your sleep doesn’t have to cost a small fortune — dropping the thermostat and investing in an eye mask could do the trick. 
• Skip caffeine and alcohol in the evening. 
• Limit the use of electronic devices before bedtime. At a minimum, cut your screen time by 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed; try reading a book instead. 

Sleepmaxxing isn’t inherently bad, as its individual components aren’t harmful, and many of the practices and products associated with it are grounded in legitimate sleep science. 

Frequently asked questions

What do doctors really think of sleepmaxxing?

The idea behind sleepmaxxing is not the issue, it's the obsession with following a strict routine and relying on products that may hurt rather than help you.

Which sleepmaxxing hacks actually work?

Classic sleep hygiene like sleeping in a dark room, avoiding screens right before bed and limiting caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening all help with establishing a healthy sleep routine. The viral products, on the other hand, may have more mixed results.