I tried 6 TikTok sleep trends to find the ones that actually work – my favourites helped me nod off in under 10 minutes
ARE you sleep maxxing? Or do you have no idea what I’m talking about?
The term, made famous on TikTok, essentially means maximising the amount of good quality sleep you get each night using various techniques.
Because after all, sleep seems to be a challenge for so many of us.
The NHS recommends we all get between seven and nine hours a night.
But that’s not always easy. Research by LloydsPharmacy found that 33 per cent of Brits struggle to nod off at least two to three nights a week, with a further 21 per cent admitting it’s a nightly challenge.
To try to improve their slumber, 24 per cent of people have tried at least one popular sleep hack that has circulated on social media.
But do these tricks really work? I tested six of the most popular to find out…
1. Wearing a sleep tracker
- Minutes to fall asleep: 5
- Sleep quality: 4/5
- Overall score: 4/5
I wear an Oura ring every night to track my sleep so I am pretty familiar with this one already.
Before I started using the device (which also tracks my stress and movement throughout the day) I worried it might make my sleep worse, making me overthink bedtime and fret about not hitting my sleep goals.
However, since wearing the ring I have nothing but great things to report.
Most crucially, I have 100 per cent been more aware of my sleep ‘hygiene’.
I wind down before bed, I make sure the room temperature is comfortable, and I’m conscious of what I eat beforehand.
This has all led to a more relaxing environment, and better quality kip.
However, it’s worth noting that the tracker itself doesn’t improve my sleep; rather it’s the fact that it forces me to prepare for bed properly, instead of hitting the pillow with a racing mind and zero downtime.
Dr Bhavini Shah, GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, says that while many users find trackers beneficial for identifying triggers that impact sleep quality, the accuracy of devices is questionable.
“To ensure truly accurate data, you’d need to do a medical sleep study which monitors brain waves,” she says.
“These studies can help to diagnose conditions like sleep apnoea.
“Furthermore, studies show that sleep tracking devices can induce anxiety in users.
“Several have shown that those who had a poor night’s sleep were more likely to have a low mood, difficulty concentrating, and increased sleepiness during the day.”
2. Listening to white noise
- Minutes to fall asleep: 30
- Sleep quality: 2/5
- Overall score: 2/5
Most people want a quiet room to fall asleep in, so you wouldn’t think that noise could help!
But Dr Shah explains that certain sounds can actually be beneficial for some.
“White noise is primarily used to mask other disruptive sounds in the environment as our brains are wired to notice changes in sound, rather than constant, steady noise,” she says.
“While the brain processes white noise like any other sound, research suggests it doesn’t demand the same level of attention as speech or music.”
White noise contains all frequencies across the spectrum of audible sounds in equal measure.
People often compare it to the static that comes from an untuned radio or TV.
Research is mixed. But a study published in the journal Frontiers found that adults fell asleep 38 per cent faster while listening to white noise.
Tart cherries contain naturally high levels of melatonin, which is known as the ‘sleep hormone’
Dr Bhavini Shah
Years ago when I used to burn the candle at both ends, I relied on my white noise machine to help me drift off.
So, years later, would it have the same effect? Answer: no.
The Nanit Sound + Light machine (£99) I used is great. But when you sleep with someone else (which I do; my boyfriend), you both need to be on the same page.
He wasn’t keen on the noise, which sounds like radio static, and to be honest, our bedroom is so quiet, I didn’t feel like I needed the white noise to block out any sounds.
If you live on a noisy street though, or your neighbours keep you up at night, then this would likely be a great bedside table addition.
I will say, however, that there are other ‘noise’ options on this machine and we now wake up to the sound of birds in the morning rather than a piercing phone alarm, which is lovely!
3. Drinking a ‘sleepy girl mocktail’
- Minutes to fall asleep: 10
- Sleep quality: 3/5
- Overall score: 3/5
A magic potion that sends you to sleep within minutes sounds too good to be true.
But in the last few years, many TikTokers have claimed that the ‘sleepy girl mocktail‘ can do just that.
There are a few variations of the drink, but essentially it contains tart cherry juice and magnesium powder, and more often than not, sparkling water.
I’ve been taking magnesium before bed for years (I’ve no idea if it does anything, but I like to think it does), however I’ve never gone too near tart cherry juice – until now.
Dr Shah says: “Tart cherries contain naturally high levels of melatonin, which is known as the ‘sleep hormone’.
“They also contain tryptophan, an amino acid used in the production of serotonin (a sleep-inducing hormone) and melatonin.”
Plus studies suggest there could be a link between sleep quality and magnesium intake, so I thought it was worth a go!
Mouth taping would be a great choice if you snore
Lucy Gornall
I used a pre-made ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ by ainslie and ainslie, which is filled with montmorency tart cherry powder, magnesium citrate and also l-glycine, an amino acid which supports rest and recovery.
After I’d mixed the powder with 100ml of water, I gave it a quick shake in the shaker provided and knocked it back.
The cherry is seriously tart but so delicious; a bit like the Lemsip flavour I remember as a child.
But did it improve my sleep? I definitely think it helped me wind down, which of course in turn does help sleep.
I felt more relaxed and settled, rather than going to bed feeling overwhelmed.
However, I still woke up a little dozy, so I’m not sure it really improved my sleep quality.
4. Taking a ‘sleep divorce’
- Minutes to fall asleep: 45
- Sleep quality: 2/5
- Overall score: 1/5
So many of us have partners who disrupt our sleep.
Perhaps they snore their heads off, or maybe they work shifts so are up at all hours.
If this is you, you may well have come across the concept of a ‘sleep divorce‘.
It involves sleeping separately from your spouse to help improve sleep quality, and it seems to be all the rage lately.
Previous research conducted by Samsung found that a fifth of couples in the UK regularly sleep apart.
So could this be the secret to better sleep?
The dos and don'ts if you wake up in the night
By Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter
TIME moves at an entirely different speed in the dead of night.
Hours can drag on at a glacial pace, and then, all of a sudden morning is clawing at the curtains, sending you into a violent panic.
But next time you find yourself startled awake, staring at the ceiling in the pitch black, here’s what to do (and not to do).
Nurse Dominika Blonska, founder of Define by Dom, says:
- You should never look at the clock
- Don’t doomscroll
- Eat protein but avoid sugar
- Take a magnesium supplement
- Try the ‘cognitive shuffle‘ method
- Get out of bed
- Give breathing techniques like the 3-6-9 a go
You can read the full article here.
Dr Shah says: “If you share a bed with a partner who works night shifts or is restless throughout the night, the impact of sleep deprivation can sometimes take a toll on a relationship.
“Chronic sleep deprivation significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity by disrupting stress responses, glucose metabolism, and insulin regulation.”
But, sleeping in a separate bed to your partner may decrease emotional and physical intimacy.
Personally, I sleep with my boyfriend every night and luckily we sleep well together; he barely moves and he doesn’t snore. Winning.
I tested out a ‘sleep divorce’ when he was away for the night.
The result: a seriously poor night’s sleep.
In fact, my Oura ring gave me the lowest sleep score I have ever had.
It could be a coincidence, but I definitely noticed that there wasn’t a presence next to me and it didn’t feel right.
Back to sharing a bed then…
5. Sleeping with a weighted blanket
- Minutes to fall asleep: 15
- Sleep quality: 3/5
- Overall score: 3/5
I spend my evenings trying to “take a weight off” before bed.
But could sleeping with a 4.7kg blanket actually help me sleep?
I tried the Kudd.ly weighted blanket (£49, Amazon) to find out.
Weighted blankets like this one are designed to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and enhance sleep quality, Dr Shah says.
“Usually filled with thousands of small glass beads that gently apply pressure, these blankets mimic a therapeutic method known as ‘deep pressure therapy’, which is thought to help elevate your mood,” she adds.
Honestly, lifting one of these blankets felt like an arm workout – harder, even.
However, once I’d heaved it over my body, I did drift into a nice sleep.
There’s something incredibly comforting about a little weight on your body.
This definitely made me feel more settled, but I woke up in the night pretty hot and when my boyfriend tried it, his first words were, “I’m struggling”.
Perhaps a good one if you sleep alone and aren’t also kept warm by another human’s body heat? But probably not for me.
6. Mouth taping
- Minutes to fall asleep: 15
- Sleep quality: 3/5
- Overall score: 3/5
Until recently, mouth taping was a means of keeping someone quiet; usually a criminal act rather than a wellness hack.
But, according to trends website Glimpse, interest in mouth tape has grown 109 per cent over the past year.
Placing a special porous tape over your lips encourages you to breathe through your nose, which is said to improve sleep.
The benefits are mostly anecdotal as few studies have backed up these claims.
However, a some experts have found mouth taping could help treat snoring.
One by scientists in Taiwan revealed it significantly reduced snoring, lapsed breathing and tiredness in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnoea – a disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start while you sleep.
It also comes with some slightly terrifying potential side effects.
Dr Shah says: “While intentional nose breathing during waking hours can help slow down breathing and ease anxiety, taping your mouth while sleeping can be dangerous.
“It can lead to hampered breathing, disrupted sleep, and skin irritation.”
The Sleep Foundation also warns it can actually result in increased anxiety.
I decided to try it anyway, applying one of the Hostage Mouth Tapes (£25.19, Healf) over my mouth before hitting the hay.
Contrary to what I thought, it was actually really comfortable.
It didn’t feel tight and if I wanted to, I could easily take it off – which I did, about three hours into my sleep, when I woke up for a drink.
I’d say this probably takes a bit of getting used to, however it did force me to breath through my nose.
If you snore, this would be a great choice!