Here’s how to get the perfect night’s sleep

The quest for perfect sleep has officially gone viral. While bragging about going to bed early has become the new thing on social media, people are going to increasingly extreme measures to ensure better night’s sleepand cyberspace has become a platform for indulging our “orthosomnia” (a term coined by researchers to describe a sleep tracker owner’s unhealthy obsession with achieving perfect sleep). But it’s not just technology we’re talking about: “Sleepmaxxing” has amassed over 98.6 million views on TikTok and refers to any “hack” to improve your night’s sleep; think nostril dilators, mouth tape, jaw straps and “sleepy girl cocktails” (apparently a mixture of cherry juice, prebiotic soda and magnesium powder before bed).

This is unsurprising given a recent study which found the average Brit sleeps just 5.9 hours a night (experts recommend at least 7-9 hours), while one in four of us sleeps no more than 5.9 hours a night.I struggle with insomnia.

Dr. Patrick Flynn posted on Instagram recently, confirming what we all suspected was true, which is that women need significantly more sleep than men (eight to 10 hours is ideal, he says). “Women depend on the adrenal glands to create their daily supply of hormones, and this usually happens between 9pm and 1am, while 98% of male hormones are produced in the testicles – and the testicles work whether we are sleeping or not.” (One screenshot and send to your partner).

While the ’80s “sleep is for wimps” attitude has thankfully been relegated to room 101 along with mullets and floppy disks, is obsessing over how much sleep we get per night just as harmful? “Sleepmaxxing is a ‘sleep optimization’ trend we see where people trying to achieve ‘ideal sleep’ resort to extreme behaviors to try to achieve it,” says Dr. Zoe Gotts, PhD DClinPsyconsultant clinical psychologist in London Sleep Center. “But the truth is that the more effort we put into trying to achieve optimal sleep, the more counterproductive it can be, as it forces us to focus more on sleep and often causes anxiety.”

And there’s nothing more attractive than wearing a chin strap, mouth band and side pad (stunned recently questioned whether ‘morning barn’/ The “go to bed ugly, wake up beautiful” trend has become the reason for the apparent lack of sex life among Generation Z). As Gotts notes; “Sleep is an unconscious process, and as soon as we start paying too much attention to it, bringing it into our consciousness, it becomes problematic.”

So what does she recommend for those of us who struggle to sleep? “Ensuring the basics are in place is important and requires minimal effort. Provide a cool, dark and quiet place to sleep. Give yourself enough time to unwind after a day of work and step away from both work and social interaction. I do think people are getting less sleep than they need, and I would attribute this to prioritizing other areas of life, as well as increased stress levels in general. Stress is not conducive to sleep, which is why we often see people getting less sleep than they usually need.”

If you wake up at night? Dave Aspreyauthor and “longevity influencer,” also known as the “Father of Biohacking,” claims that people who specifically wake up at 3 a.m. do so due to glucose fluctuations: “For most people who wake up between 3 and 5 a.m. mornings and can “If you don’t want to go back to sleep, it’s usually due to a sharp drop in blood sugar,” says Asprey, who recommends patients eat a “small snack before bed” consisting of either a “raw honey, collagen, MCT oil,” or mix all three together. (MCT oil is a supplement consisting of a fat found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and some dairy products that is easier to digest than other fats.)

While the jury is very much out on viral trends like mouth taping (used to encourage nasal breathing), using our body’s circadian rhythms to enhance our beauty routines is something many brands are embracing. In skincare terms, this means using certain ingredients on the skin when it is in repair mode and therefore most receptive to them (Estee Lauder Enhanced Night Recovery for example, the franchise supports the natural rhythms of day and night of the skin). According to a neuroscientist, even our mouths have their own circadian rhythms. Dr. Andrew Hubermandedicated an entire podcast to the topic of teeth. In it, he talks about how saliva production (essential for tooth remineralization) slows down at night, making brushing, especially with xylitol toothpaste, even more important.

Shop: our favorite bedtime purchases

Price: £40

The GOAT among sleep sprays is Grace The team’s favorite for good reason. One bottle filled with natural soothing ingredients such as lavender, chamomile and vetiver is sold every 79 seconds worldwide.

These ingenious patches, applied to each temple, contain a mixture of wild jujube seeds, coix seeds and polygals that gently lull you to sleep. The unique aroma is difficult to pin down, but immediately evokes a spa-like tranquility.

The only thing better than a bath before bed is a bath before bed with magnesium-enriched bath salts. The mood-boosting, neurescent scent of lavender and cedarwood will also help calm the mind and body.

Think of it as your nightcap without the furry head and sticky mouth. Contains hops and “functional botanicals” that enhance mood (as opposed to feeling slightly drunk), but without the alcohol. This is what you need when you want to feel sociable but also want uninterrupted sleep.

Like a goodnight mug hug, the restorative blend of organic berries, chamomile, valerian and echinacea had us asleep before we even…

 Cassie Steer is acting beauty director at Grazia with over 25 years of experience in women’s magazines.