Sleepmaxxing and orthosomnia trends

The ‘sleepmaxxing’ wellness trend continues to grow, driven by social media, biohacking culture, and wearable technology. This movement emphasizes optimizing sleep through structured routines, including supplements, mouth tape, and smart rings to monitor nightly sleep scores. Data from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that usage of tracking devices has risen to 48% of adults in 2026, up from 35% in 2023.

Medical experts have raised concerns that this obsession with optimization can lead to ‘orthosomnia’, a condition where the pursuit of perfect sleep causes increased anxiety and actual sleep disturbances. Dr. Alanna Hare, a sleep medicine consultant, has stated that ‘there is no such thing as a sleep score in sleep science,’ suggesting that technology manufacturers may be fabricating these metrics. Research from the University of Oxford suggests that the psychological impact of these devices is significant; participants receiving false low sleep scores reported feeling more tired and inattentive despite having slept well.

While practitioners note that sleep hygiene—such as maintaining consistent schedules and limiting blue light—is a practical starting point, experts warn that optimization cannot address underlying medical conditions. Issues like sleep apnea, insomnia, and circadian rhythm disorders may require medical intervention rather than behavioral changes. Relying solely on data and routines may lead individuals to mistake improved metrics for actual health improvements. Experts emphasize that measuring wrist movement via wearables is not a substitute for measuring brain activity to accurately assess sleep quality.