Are you suffering from an autumnal slump and struggling to get some solid shut eye? You’re not alone. Many of us find the change in seasons can disrupt our sleep patterns, making it difficult to drop off and get a full night of uninterrupted sleep.
Of course, people are turning to TikTok to garner the latest sleep hacks, with the #sleeptips hashtag alone amassing 274.5 million trending views - but can we trust them?
We've called on Hope Bastine, UK psychologist and resident sleep expert for sleep tech firm Simba, to debunk TikTok's five most popular sleep hacks.
Hack 1: Listen to Brown Noise
The Hack: This TikTok sleep hack hails brown noise as a useful tool not just for calming the ADHD mind, but for anyone trying to rest a tired mind.
The Verdict: White noise is a consistent sound that emits evenly across all hearable frequencies. When a noise wakes you up in the night, it's not actually the noise itself that wakes you up, but the sudden change in noise that jars you. White noise masks the inconsistencies, blocking out those sudden changes that frustrate light sleepers. White noise is a static-like sound that uses all frequencies that the human ear can distinguish and helps to mask sounds that keep our brain in high alert mode, especially when sleeping in a new environment. Brown noise, however, has lower frequencies than white noise and produces a deeper rumbling sound - like a heavy downpour of rain - and is better for masking the ringing in your ears if you suffer from tinnitus. Both can be an ideal method for helping you fall asleep.
Hack 2: Eat Almonds Every Night
The Hack: This sleep tip boldly declares that eating almonds every night will make you fall asleep fast.
The Verdict: Although eating almonds alongside protein can help you fall back to sleep, they won’t help you to fall asleep any faster. That said, if you are someone who doesn't struggle to fall asleep but has problems staying asleep, then this tip is the one for you.
Often an imbalance between two adrenal hormones: cortisol and adrenaline can cause wakefulness. While cortisol regulates blood sugar, it’s also responsive to prolonged stress. During sleep, we are fasting, and as a result, our blood sugar levels drop. Cortisol should be lower when falling asleep, before starting to slowly increase throughout the night - peaking first thing in the morning which wakes us up. A smooth process.
However, the problem arises when we are under stress - cortisol levels are disregulated, turning what should be a steady slow rise into a blunt, flat cortisol level. This is when adrenaline rushes in to save us. In the absence of cortisol, adrenaline arrives with a sudden shock, stimulating our nervous system into overdrive. So when you wake up between 2-4am, you can’t get back to sleep because your internal alarm system is flashing a red alert.
How do we fix this? Eat foods that are high in protein and fat later on in the evening, such as almonds alongside a turkey salad, and then eat first thing in the morning. Over time, your body will adapt, especially if you are managing your daytime stress in conjunction with your diet.
A weighted blanket can also help if you find that you’re up all night, stressed, anxious, tossing and turning, while shaping to your body - which feels like a gentle, full-body hug. It also helps stimulate a calming process called ‘deep pressure therapy’ which counters stress by helping your nervous system switch from 'fight or flight' to 'rest and relax'. If a weighted blanket isn't for you, I’d recommend the Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 Duvet. It’s the only duvet you’ll need, as it keeps you at a perfect temperature all year round and, with superior airflow and moisture balance, it’s engineered to give you the most comfortable and restorative night’s sleep - whatever the weather.
Hack 3: Buy a sleep monitor to track your sleep schedule
The Hack: This TikToker suggests that getting a sleep monitor is a wearable way to solve your sleep problems.
The Verdict: Buying a sleep monitor to track your sleep alone does not improve your sleep ability or sleep quality. Sleep monitors provide us with blunt information about our nocturnal patterns, and what we do with that information will determine how well we sleep. It’s an information tool, just like any other – it is not a magic pill. Be responsive to the information it provides, adjust your pre-sleep habits and you’ll hopefully see some positive results.
Hack 4: Rub your hands for 30 seconds three times over
The Hack: TikToker, Dr Eileen recommends a two-point acupressure technique to access your heart, make you feel calm, and help you fall asleep faster.
The Verdict: The research on acupressure to modify heart rate variability tells us that there is an immediate impact after the third stimulation, so long as it is spaced 20 minutes apart. The desired effect, however, is not long-lasting. If you like this technique, it may be useful to include it as part of your holistic pre-sleep routine, but don’t rely on it on its own.
Hack 5: Stop Taking Melatonin
The Hack: TikToker, Jake Crossman, has highlighted the belief of dangers in taking melatonin to help you sleep.
The Verdict: Melatonin is a hormone often prescribed when you are experiencing a sleep disruption, for example, changing time zones or for patients with a biological sleep disorder. Doctors do recommend taking melatonin - but for about two weeks to help you adjust to a new time zone.
It is true that taking melatonin for longer periods of time for otherwise healthy individuals is inadvisable because you’ll condition your body to stop releasing the hormone naturally.
Sleep scientist Matthew Walker tested the efficacy of over-the-counter melatonin supplements. He found that only 5% are effective and of good quality. Studies have also found that melatonin products often contain inconsistent dose labelling, making it difficult to monitor your consumption. Hence, it is unlikely you’ll get quality melatonin from the products.
In the long term, taking melatonin products if you suffer from any mood disorders will exacerbate the issues because melatonin will spike serotonin. Additionally, it could contribute to heart issues, blood vessels, and brain dysfunction, but the research on this is inconclusive. Further research needs to be done on the long-term use of melatonin products.
