The young woman in the video clip looks strange and, frankly, uncomfortable. There appears to be a large black plaster over his lips, keeping his mouth closed. There is a thick pink elastic strap around his head that fits tightly under his jaw and a series of gelatinous patches on his forehead and under his eyes.
It is topped with a ruffled pink silk cap. She removes each element one by one and leans towards the camera to show, in extreme close-up, her damp complexion.
The footage from the video-sharing app TikTok has been viewed 4.2 million times since it was posted by Texas-based influencer Mayte Myers. She calls it her “morning shed,” like when she “gets rid” of all the things she brought to bed.
The implication is that this beauty regimen is the way to better skin. It’s part of a broader social media-driven trend for getting the most sleep, with so-called sleep influencers sharing the lengths they go to to achieve a good night’s sleep.
The woman has a large black strip over her lips, a thick pink strip around her head that passes under her jaw, and a series of gelatinous patches on her forehead and under her eyes.
The footage from the video-sharing app TikTok has been viewed 4.2 million times since it was posted by Texas-based influencer Mayte Myers.
The mouth tape Mayte uses is designed to force breathing through the nose. Proponents claim this improves dental health, improves oxygen absorption during sleep, and aids in more restful sleep. However, there is no medical evidence to support any of this.
The chin strap is supposed to reduce double chins and prevent facial sagging, which is not something you would expect to worry teens and twenty-somethings on TikTok. Again, there is no evidence that chin straps work.
The transparent silicone stickers are reusable face masks that supposedly prevent wrinkles and moisturize the skin.
Other tips for getting the most sleep include: reducing screen time, avoiding carbs after lunch, taking supplements, eating two kiwis a day, and not drinking anything before bed. Sleepmaxxers also obsessively monitor the duration and “quality” of sleep through apps and wearable devices.
Could they be onto something?
Experts who spoke to The Mail on Sunday say going to such extreme lengths is “foolish” and warn that embracing the trend could be harmful. “Being overly concerned about falling asleep is counterproductive,” said Dr. John Groeger, professor of psychology at Nottingham Trent University and director of the university’s sleep research program.
“When you’re worried about falling asleep (or getting the so-called right kind of sleep), your brain won’t be able to shut down enough to allow for restful sleep.
“Many of these tips for getting the most sleep make the solution part of the problem.” A 2017 American study came up with a term, orthosomnia, to describe people who seek treatment for self-diagnosed sleep conditions due to overuse of sleep trackers and wearable devices.
Researchers warned that the “perfectionistic pursuit of ideal sleep” was quickly becoming similar to orthorexia, a form of eating disorder in which sufferers become obsessed with consuming only healthy foods.
And introducing accessories like jaw straps and mouth tape into your nighttime routine could have a similar effect, explained Dr. Rebecca Crowley, a neuroscientist at Royal Holloway, University of London.
“There is a small study that shows that taping your mouth at night might improve sleep in people with obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes people to stop breathing for periods of time, but that’s about it,” he said. .
‘There is no evidence that it benefits anyone else. The big problem with using all this to sleep is discomfort. If you already suffer from insomnia, things could get worse.
Dr. Crowley says people who have trouble falling asleep at night should pay attention to their nutrition.
“One of the most common pieces of advice we would give is for people to adjust their diet,” he said.
“At night, try eating foods rich in melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, such as bananas, almonds, and oats.”
Likewise, it’s best to avoid obsessing about how much time you spend asleep, experts say.
“People have this idea that everyone should sleep eight hours a night,” Professor Groeger said. “But very few people, except teenagers and children, sleep that much.
‘It depends on your age, your hormonal levels, your menstrual cycle and what you do during the day; No number is the same for everyone.
“What studies show is that sleep is closely related to age: older people do not seem to need more than six hours of sleep per night, for example. Whereas people in their twenties will easily sleep eight hours or more if they can.’