This craze highlights a shift in preference from traditional experts to social media influencers as go-to wellness guides for everything from sleep hacks to skincare. While TikTok’s trends reflect a growing interest in sleep, they also reveal a gap in understanding safe sleep practices and real health risks.

Mouth taping, for instance, may harm those with undiagnosed sleep apnea by restricting mouth breathing and exacerbating respiratory issues. Health professionals are therefore sounding alarms, warning that over-monitoring sleep and following fads can backfire. In extreme cases, this can even cause orthosomnia, a phenomenon in which obsessing over perfect rest can rob you of it. While “sleepmaxxing” trends promise deeper sleep, experts suggest simpler habits, like consistent bedtimes and reduced screen time, as more effective and safer than elaborate routines.

What’s The Link?

Healthcare brands can bring a much-needed refresh to the sleep wellness conversation.

With sleep health trending, healthcare brands should strike while the iron is hot, joining the conversation on social media to share their expertise with safe, science-backed sleep practices. By doing so, they can counter misinformation and promote healthier sleep behaviors. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Walk the walk by implementing sleep-friendly policies within inpatient facilities, prioritizing rest for patients during their stay. This trend exposes a disconnect within hospitals themselves, as ongoing research reveals that 77% of hospital patients describe their inpatient sleep as “worse” or “much worse” than what they would get at home. On average, inpatients sleep 83 minutes less than at home due to interruptions like noise, medical equipment, pain, and vital checks. Some organizations are tackling this with interventions like earplugs, eye masks, relaxation techniques, and music therapy to improve sleep. JAMA also advocates for reducing nighttime disruptions and environmental noise to enhance rest while reducing reliance on sleep medications.
• Collaborate with trusted influencers to demystify diagnostic tools like home sleep studies and CPAP machines, building awareness of their value while reducing stigma associated with them.
• Promote essential sleep hygiene over unproven hacks by focusing on their evidence-based benefits and addressing the interests behind these trends. Highlight the benefits of professional sleep studies for conditions like sleep apnea while aligning messaging with patient care practices.
• Develop patient-focused content that leverages consumer interest in sleep and provides tailored recommendations. Health risk assessments (HRAs) for sleep disorders are an engaging way to empower consumers with clinically backed data and personalized guidance, so they can be proactive about their health.

Aligning external messaging with internal practices can demonstrate a true commitment to sleep health and improve patient care and trust. By implementing sleep-friendly policies in hospitals and educating audiences on platforms like TikTok, healthcare brands can lead the way in promoting safer, more effective sleep practices.

Explore HRAs to enhance your sleep health content