In a world dominated by fast-paced lifestyles and busy schedules, getting enough sleep is more difficult than ever. Enter sleepmaxxing, a wellness trend that focuses on optimizing sleep habits for restful and restorative sleep through lifestyle and technology strategies.
The trend quickly caught on – and for good reason. A survey conducted in August this year found that the number of Indians who slept less than six hours without breaks rose from 50% in 2022 to 61% in 2024.
We examine whether getting enough sleep is the key to a happy, healthy and well-rested self, or whether it’s just another fad that increases the pressure and anxiety to achieve “good” sleep.
What disturbs a peaceful sleep?
Several factors contribute to poor sleep quality or difficulty falling and staying asleep. Some of these include – an inconsistent sleep schedule, screen time before bed, high levels of stress, anxiety, or engaging in mentally stimulating activities before bed (such as checking email or playing video games), a poor sleep environment, eating heavy meals or snacks late at night, and consumption of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, which are stimulants that interfere with the body’s ability to relax and fall asleep,” shares Dr. Pankaj Chhabra is the Clinical Director of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad.
Garima Tiwari, clinical nutritionist at Shalby Hospital, says: “Eating heavy meals or snacks late at night makes the digestive system work harder, leading to indigestion and poor sleep. Choosing a lighter meal at the beginning of the evening helps the body to rest.”
In addition, she says that the use of stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol can interfere with the body’s ability to relax. “While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it tends to disrupt sleep later in the night,” she adds.
How to sleep better:
This includes maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a conducive sleep environment (using blackout curtains and keeping the room cool), and managing stress with relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. You can also use sleep trackers, mouth tape, soothing sprays, heavy blankets to help you relax.
Soothing sounds such as rain music and waves can also help. What’s more, one can choose light therapy lamps, smart lighting that starts to dim, meditation and mindfulness programs to calm and relax the mind. “Use sleep aids (such as melatonin or medication) after consulting a health care professional. They can be helpful but should not replace natural sleep habits,” suggests Dr Akshay Budhraiah, Senior Consultant HOD Respiratory & Sleep, Aakash Healthcare.
Opt out:
Dr. Vikas Mittal, pulmonologist and certified sleep specialist, ISSR, ISDA, director of the Wellness Home Sleep Clinic and Center, believes that Spammaxik is just an internet trend that is a good way to get GenZ to understand the importance of sleep, but unscientific techniques can do more harm than good and discourage a person from seeking medical help from a sleep specialist.
He also adds, “If you’re not sleeping well and it’s been going on for months together, you may have a sleep disorder, and there are 86 known sleep disorders, and you need to see a sleep specialist, and you just shouldn’t be using sleeping pills. and over-the-counter pills.”
How much sleep should you get?
Experts say that the amount and amount of sleep also depends on age, gender and genetics. Adults need 6-8 hours, but depending on genetics, you can do well with even 4 hours, which is called short sleep, and some may need more than 8 hours, which is called long sleep.
But don’t get carried away with the idea of a perfect night’s sleep
Tiwari says that while sleepmaxxing aims to improve sleep, it’s important not to get too caught up in tracking or improving sleep, as this can lead to “arthosomnia,” where an unhealthy fixation on sleep performance negatively affects rest.
To this, Mittal also adds, “The pressure to get a good night’s sleep can cause anxiety and lead to a disorder called psycho-psychological insomnia, in which patients suffer from increased anxiety and are unable to fall asleep, which worsens the insomnia and perpetuates the already existing. modern insomnia”.
