Running on only five-six hours of sleep in the name of hustle culture used to be the norm. How often have we heard, or maybe even said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” as a badge of honor? Times have changed in recent years. Instead of functioning on the least amount of sleep possible, the pursuit of perfect sleep has evolved into an obsession for many.
These so-called “sleepmaxxers” experiment with rather extreme modalities in hopes of achieving the “perfect” sleep. They will try everything including mouth tape, nose tape, $600 fans, “sunrise” alarm clocks, $4,000 mattress systems, often in search of an elusive perfect sleep.
Don’t forget evening supplements or the “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” of cherry juice, prebiotic soda, and magnesium powder.
But when these sleep-enhancing fixtures become the main fixation, this can backfire. Instead of achieving the maximized level of sleep, “slepmaxxers” may find themselves anxious and disturbed throughout the time they should be getting shut eye.
The growing industry around sleep products caters to this obsession, yet researchers caution that many sleep gadgets, while popular, often lack scientific support. For example, sleep trackers might push people to scrutinize their sleep scores too closely, leading to more stress and poorer sleep outcomes.
Experts recommend going back to the basics: reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption, maintaining a regular schedule, and avoiding screens before bed time. Glamorous? Not exactly. But definitely effective, with minimal investment.
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