Julie Flygare, JD
President & CEO, Project Sleep
With over 100 million social media posts, the ‘sleepmaxxing’ trend refers to the pursuit of various tools, trackers and techniques in search of the ‘perfect’ night’s sleep.
Sleepmaxxing is the latest trend in the self-care frenzy. The sleep aid industry is booming with countless new products vying for late-night doom scrollers’ attention and money. However, what if you’ve tried various teas, patches and apps and still have trouble sleeping at night or staying awake during the day? Of all the sleep hacks, one of the best has yet to go viral: learning about sleep disorders.
What sleepmaxxers should know about sleep disorders
If you have an underlying biological problem preventing you from sleeping well, sleep aids and self-help approaches are unlikely to mitigate your issue. An estimated one in five people lives with a sleep disorder, such as insomnia, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and circadian rhythm disorders. Yet, the majority are undiagnosed.
With so little discussion of sleep disorders in the ‘sleepmaxxing’ social sphere, people with undiagnosed conditions will shuffle along in the sleep wellness rat race. They are left to believe ‘everyone is tired’ or that they just haven’t found the right product yet.
An estimated one in five people
lives with a sleep disorder.
Temporary sleep issue vs sleep disorder
Your sleep issue may be a sign of a sleep disorder if:
- You’re already following basic sleep health practices like keeping consistent sleep/wake times, avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening and having a dark, quiet and cool bedroom.
- You’re having issues sleeping at night or staying awake during the day on a regular basis for at least three months.
- You’re noticing negative impacts on your daytime life including your energy levels, concentration, mood, motivation, productivity at work or school or having trouble driving.
Finding your sleep team
Unfortunately, most general practitioners have limited knowledge of sleep disorders, which is why it’s important to see a sleep specialist for evaluation. A sleep specialist can help identify the root causes of sleep issues, whether medical or psychological factors are at play and help you create a personalised treatment to improve your sleep.
