Maximising the amount and quality of sleep we get has become a runaway trend, with the term ‘sleepmaxxing’ getting over 125 million views on TikTok. But what exactly is a good night’s sleep, how important is it – and how reliable are the hacks being punted to provide it?
“Sleep is when many vital body processes take place,” says Durban-based neuropsychologist Michelle Baker, chairperson of the Allied Group for the South African Society of Sleep. Hormones are released which maintain your bone and muscle and renew organs like the skin, and metabolic and waste products are cleared from your brain.
“Adults should plan their day to get seven to eight hours a night,” she says. “But some need just five or six hours, while others require nine hours or more. What matters is that you wake feeling rested, restored and alert.”
Established ways to achieve this are to keep consistent bed and waking times, follow a relaxing wind-down routine, keep your room cool, dark and quiet, and reduce caffeine, alcohol, sugary drinks, and screen time before bed.
Sleepmaxxing proposes a range of different strategies with little substantial scientific evidence. Among them:
1. Mouth taping
The claim: Taping your mouth closed at night promotes better sleep, and reduces problems linked to mouth breathing such as snoring, dry mouth, cavities and gum disease.
The science: According to a systematic review in the journal PLoS One in May 2025, “Based on the data presented by 10 different studies, it seems that there is a potentially serious risk of harm for individuals indiscriminately practising this trend. Further studies are required to elucidate any clinical benefit this practice may have”. Mouth taping may lead to reduced oxygen levels and is unsuitable for someone with obstructive sleep apnoea, nasal congestion (from allergies, colds, asthma), with anxiety or panic disorders, or at risk of vomiting at night, says Baker.
2. Nasal dilators or expanders
The claim: By widening your nostrils, dilators/expanders help reduce snoring and alleviate congestion, giving you a clearer airflow and improving sleep.
The science: There seems little evidence to support their use in stopping snoring or promoting sleep. According to a study in the journal Clinics, “the improvement in several subjective parameters without any significant objective improvement in obstructive sleep apnoea resulting from the use of nasal dilator strips is compatible with a placebo effect”.
3. Red light therapy (RLT) devices
The claim: Shining a red light of a certain wavelength on your skin can improve your sleep.
The science: Research on the effects of RLT on sleep suggests exposure to specific wavelengths can influence circadian rhythms and melatonin secretion. A study in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry concluded that ‘red light can increase subjective alertness, anxiety, and negative emotions in both healthy subjects and people with insomnia disorder, which can affect sleep directly or indirectly’ . Further large-scale trials are needed.
4. Weighted blankets
The claim: Sleeping under a weighted blanket promotes sleep by having a calming effect (like swaddling a baby).
The science: A small study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine concluded that “weighted chain blankets are an effective and safe intervention for insomnia in patients with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also improving daytime symptoms and levels of activity”. However, more research is needed to confirm the results.
5. Supplements or foods
The claim: Certain supplements, food or drink, such as the ‘Sleepy Girl Mocktail’ with magnesium and cherry juice, encourage sleep.
The science: Magnesium is a popular sleep supplement, and a systematic review in the journal Biological Trace Element Research suggests a possible link between better sleep quality and magnesium intake, but notes that bigger randomised clinical trials with longer follow-up are needed. “Anecdotally, many cases report that magnesium really helps,” says Baker. But she cautions that magnesium can interact with certain medications, that not everyone needs it – and that taking too much may cause gut upsets.
Links:
1. https://sassh.org.za/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40397877/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3351249/
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10484593/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32536366/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/
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