10 Sleep Trends for 2024: Separating Fads from Science

At one point or another, we’ve all hit the internet for answers and advice on what ails us. And in the last few years, our search for sleep has reached a fever pitch. When we want it, it doesn’t come easy, and when we have it, the quality is always under suspicion — no doubt, that’s why sleep has been buzzy as of late. 

And while there’s plenty of content featuring medical experts and their advice, we’re likely to find just as many fads and trends making the rounds on social media channels — some backed by science, others not so much. Needless to say, there’s a lot to digest. 

To help you make heads or tails of what’s new in sleep, we’ve curated a list of the latest sleep trends. We’ll discuss which are fads, which hold water, what’s on the way out, and what’s here to stay. 

Note: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice, and it shouldn’t take the place of medical advice and supervision from a trained professional. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately. Additionally, restrictions and regulations on supplements may vary by location. If you ever have any questions or concerns about a product you’re using, contact your doctor.

#1 Health Influencers

Even if you’re only sort of paying attention, you know that more and more people are turning to social media for the latest and greatest on health and wellness. More often than not, they’re getting their information from health influencers. As the name implies, health influencers promote health and wellness (through blogs, videos, and other mediums) on social media platforms. 

“While some health influencers are actual doctors or scientists, many have little to no qualifications, and their advice should be taken with a grain of salt,” says Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, head sleep expert and sleep scientist at Wesper. “With that said, I fully believe in the value of using social media to educate the public about health topics and bring awareness to health issues that aren’t well understood.” 

For safety’s sake, Rohrscheib suggests checking the credentials of health influencers. “Make sure they are legitimate, and cross-check what they say for accuracy before changing your lifestyle,” she says.  

While health influencers like Dr. Mike and Peter Attia have certainly amassed impressive followings, many will find themselves hard-pressed to get a leg up on Andrew Huberman, a (now famed) neuroscientist, Stanford University professor, and host of the “Huberman Lab Podcast,” whose health influencer resume reads something like this: (1)

• Google searches for Andrew Huberman have increased by 132 percent in the past year and are expected to grow by an additional 56 percent in 2024. (2)
• Searches for “Huberman sleep” have increased by 152 percent in the past year. (3)
• Videos related to Andrew Huberman have a combined 294 million views on TikTok. (4)

Not only are folks hitting the internet hard in search of the man, but the tips and supplements he mentions have also skyrocketed in popularity. Overall, his sleep supplement recommendations and sleep-adjacent advice are blowing up Google. More on those supplements — and some of Huberman’s other recommendations — below. 

Apigenin

Huberman lists apigenin as one of the best supplements for improving sleep, and the evidence of his recommendation is in the internet search. Over the last year, searches for apigenin increased by a whopping 82 percent (5), and despite the recent explosion of interest in this supplement, it’s kind of an oldie but goodie. While the term apigenin may be new, most have leaned into its benefits for sleep at one time or another courtesy of a cup of chamomile tea. While the antioxidant is sold in supplement form, apigenin is also found in fruits, vegetables, and herbs like oregano, artichokes, parsley, and chamomile. (6)

While the evidence to support chamomile’s (and apigenin’s) effect on sleep is largely anecdotal, one single-blind randomized controlled trial examining the effects of chamomile on sleep quality found that chamomile extract can significantly improve sleep quality among elderly people. (7) Another meta-analysis showed that while chamomile had a negligible effect on insomnia, it can significantly improve sleep quality. More research is needed to further examine the effects of chamomile and sleep, but at the very least, it seems to be a hit anecdotally. (8)

L-theanine 

With searches increasing by 22 percent over the past year (9), L-theanine seems to have found its fifteen minutes of fame. L-Theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid in green and black tea leaves and some mushrooms. Research suggests that it’s a safe, natural sleep aid that promotes relaxation without drowsiness. (10) In other words, it may relieve your anxiety to help you get some shut-eye. 

Morning Sunlight Exposure

Huberman himself says, “View morning sunlight!” is one of his most common refrains. (11)

And it looks like people are listening, as searches for morning light exposure increased by 36 percent in the past year (12). 

According to Huberman and other sleep experts, getting out into the sunlight (even on overcast days) within the first few hours of waking sets the stage for better sleep later that night. (13) Existing research highlights additional benefits — one study out of the UK showed that increased time spent outdoors led to less fatigue, better sleep, and improved mood. (14)

NSDR (Non-sleep deep rest)

If you’ve listened to a Huberman Lab podcast and researched Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), then you’re one of many contributing to a 76 percent increase (15) in the search term over the last year. 

Non-sleep deep rest is a term coined by Andrew Huberman to describe techniques or practices people can use to achieve a state of calm and focus. (16) To be clear, NSDR isn’t intended to induce sleep. Instead, it’s designed to help you power down while remaining alert, emerging more restored, focused, and productive on the other side. (16) Think of it as more like a meditation technique than a sleep hack.

#2 Sleep Supplements

As a category, sleep supplements are having a moment. While further research on the effects of supplements like magnesium and zinc for improving sleep quality is needed, thirty-one randomized controlled trials suggested that subjective sleep quality was significantly improved by supplements like amino acids, melatonin*, and vitamin D. (17) 

Digging into the data, we found: 

• Search interest in “sleep supplements” increased by 31 percent in the past year and is expected to grow by 14 percent in 2024, according to Google Trends (18). 
• TikTok videos on the topic of sleep supplements have accumulated over 5 billion views. (19)
• “Sleep gummies” reached its highest search volume ever in 2023, increasing by 22 percent.(20) 

Melatonin 

Rohrscheib tells us, “Melatonin is a circadian rhythm-regulating hormone that helps the brain keep track of time and initiate sleep when it’s at high concentration in the brain. If taken correctly, it can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and may help prevent nighttime awakenings.” Still, if you’re thinking about adding melatonin to you or your child’s routine, it’s important to do your research and touch base with your healthcare provider first.

Regarding sleep help and health, melatonin has been the favorite son for quite some time, but its 15 minutes may be over. Admittedly, melatonin-related videos have accumulated over 1 billion views on TikTok (21), and internet searches amounted to 1.1 million in the past month. Still, Google Trends expects interest in melatonin to stay flat in 2024, with a -1 percent growth rate. (22)

Our research also indicates that while search interest for other sleep supplements like magnesium and apigenin have increased more significantly over the past year, melatonin still dominates on Amazon.  

Peeling back the onion just a bit, we found: 

• All of the top 10 best-selling herbal and nutritional sleep supplements contain melatonin. (23)
• The #2 best seller was a kid’s melatonin gummy. (23)

For many people who can’t seem to catch those 40 winks, melatonin supplements have been a great go-to. And while some preliminary research indicates that long-term use of melatonin may be fine, the problem with everybody’s favorite sleep supplement is a gross misunderstanding of how melatonin supplements work and labeling concerns. (24) 

“It’s essential to note that melatonin doesn’t work for everyone, especially if you have chronic sleep issues or a sleep disorder,” says Rohrscheib. “Melatonin works best when combined with good sleep hygiene habits,” she adds. “Most people can get the same effects by supporting their brain’s natural melatonin production by keeping a strict sleep schedule, getting plenty of natural light during the day, and avoiding bright lights and electronic screens at night.” 

Magnesium 

While we know that magnesium plays an essential role in the body, and it’s generally accepted as a viable sleep aid, there’s limited research on its effect on sleep quality or duration. However, much of the existing research is promising; one older, often-cited study that included 46 participants showed a statistically significant increase in sleep efficiency, sleep time, and melatonin, as well as other sleep benefits. (25) Though more research is needed to understand the exact impact magnesium has on sleep, interest in the mineral has reached a fever pitch. 

• TikTok views for videos about magnesium surpassed 2 billion views. (26) 
• Google searches for magnesium increased by 29 percent in the past year, outpacing melatonin. (27)
• Magnesium glycinate search interest, specifically, was up 204 percent in 2023. (29)

#3 Mouth Taping 

If you’ve been on Sleep TikTok, you’ve almost certainly seen or heard of “mouth taping” — the practice of putting a piece of tape over your mouth to prevent mouth breathing, snoring, dry mouth and to help manage the effects of obstructive sleep apnea. 

Most of the evidence is anecdotal, and there’s limited research proving its efficacy; however, it looks like people are at least curious despite the inherent risks, which is magnified for people with obstructive sleep apnea since mouth taping may narrow the upper airway and affect compliance for CPAP treatment. (29) 

Mouth taping data reveals:

• Searches for mouth tape were up 120 percent in 2023 and are expected to increase by 55 percent in 2024. (30)
• Searches for “how to stop mouth breathing at night” were up 33 percent. (31)

According to Rohrscheib, “Breathing through our nose is the healthiest way to breathe because it promotes better breathing mechanics. It helps us avoid obstructions in the upper airway and reduces dental issues.” While she notes people may find that they sleep more soundly when they tape their mouths, Rohrscheib warns, “You should not tape your mouth if you have difficulty breathing through your nose due to nasal passage obstructions or certain sleep-breathing disorders like sleep apnea.” 

#4 Sleep Sounds

Noise machines have been around for centuries. Fun fact: Gian Lorenzo Bernini invented the first white noise machine in the 17th century to help Pope Clement IX’s insomnia. Since then, delivery methods have changed, and sleepers can now choose from a veritable rainbow of colored noise. 2024 may be the year of colored noise as more people than ever continue to search the topic.

The Google Trends data on colored noise search interest shows: 

• Green noise was up 121 percent in Google searches last year and is expected to increase by 52 percent in 2024. (32)
• White noise was up 25 percent and is expected to decrease by 36 percent in 2024. (33)
• Violet noise was up 17 percent. (34)

If you’re thinking about adding colored noise to your sleep routine, you should know that the research is limited. While one small study showed that white noise may enhance sleep quality, another showed no measurable effect. (35) (36)

#5 Sleep Mocktails  

Mocktails first got their start during the prohibition, but it seems these concoctions are having a renaissance of sorts. More specifically, health influencers are claiming to use sleep-promoting ingredients, like tart cherry juice and lettuce water, and the result is an interesting boom in popularity. 

Over the past year: 

• The search for “Sleep mocktail” was up 463 percent. (37)
• Searches for “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” were up 1,131 percent (38)
• Tart cherry juice searches were up 46 percent. (39)
• Searches for lettuce water were down 10 percent, though the topic is still trending on TikTok. (40)

Tart Cherry Juice

Rohrscheib tells us, “Tart cherry juice contains melatonin and may help you fall asleep. However, most people can get similar effects by either taking a melatonin supplement or maintaining good sleep hygiene.” Rohrscheib adds, “The effects of tart cherry juice are likely to be small, so people with chronic sleep issues or sleep disorders may find it doesn’t help.” 

And it looks like researchers have mixed results on this one. One small study noted no significant differences in sleep time or quality from using tart cherry juice. (41)  At the same time, another found that tart cherry juice given to elderly participants with insomnia reduced inflammation, improved tryptophan availability, and increased sleep duration and efficiency. (42)

Lettuce Water

“Lettuce water contains a molecule called lactucin, which may produce very small sedative effects and support sleep,” says Rohrscheib. However, she notes the one study we have to go on was done on mice and never replicated in humans. (43)

To further clear up any confusion and inaccuracies, this study observed the effects of concentrated extracts from lettuce leaves, not lettuce soaked in water. Ultimately, it remains unclear how this translates to human models and what quantities are even necessary to see any marked effect on sleep. 

In the absence of solid evidence, Rohrscheib notes — it’s lettuce. “It’s very unlikely to harm you if you decide to introduce it into your sleep routine,” she says, adding that anyone who wants to try it should know that “lettuce may have diuretic effects, so you might find yourself needing to use the bathroom more often at night. Overall, your efforts may be counterproductive.” 

#6 Sleep Divorce

Sleep divorce is the growing trend where otherwise committed couples go their separate ways come bedtime. In the past year, searches for sleep divorce were up 28 percent, and sleep divorce content reached 12.5 million views on TikTok. (44) (45) Celebrity sleep divorces include David and Victoria Beckham and Matt and Abby on TikTok.  

The most common reasons for sleep divorces are snoring, differing sleep schedules or patterns, and differing sleep preferences (i.e., temperature, light, etc.). 

If you and your partner aren’t at the “all-or-nothing” point yet, you might consider the  Scandinavian sleep method (or the sleep like a viking approach) as an alternative. With the Scandinavian sleep method (searches for which were up 108 percent this past year) (46), couples sleep in the same bed but attempt to mitigate sleep disturbances by sleeping under separate blankets. 

#7 Saunas and Cold Plunges 

Research shows that cold plunges have been linked to subjective improvements in sleep quality, and saunas can do the same by promoting relaxation and stress relief. (47) It looks like folks have caught wind, as many have hit the web to do their due diligence. (48)

According to the Google Trends data: 

• Searches for “Cold Plunge” were up 299 percent in 2023. (49) 
• “Cold shower before bed” searches were up 80 percent over the past year. (50)
• Searches for “sauna before bed” were up 81 percent. (51) 

#8 Sleep Trackers 

It’s abundantly clear that people are deeply interested in improving their sleep, so it comes as no surprise that sleep tech, trackers, specifically, have been supremely buzzy over the last year. 

Overall, searches for sleep trackers increased by 3 percent this past year. (52) And while Apple watches and Fitbits have been topping the leaderboards for years, it looks like the new kids on the block are on track to take the top spots — “sleep tracker ring” searches were up 8 percent, with an expected increase of 11 percent in 2024. (53)

By device: 

• Apple watch searches were down 4 percent in 2023, and the downward trend is expected to continue somewhere to the tune of 5 percent. (54)
• Searches for Fitbit were down 18 percent this past year and are expected to continue the decline by around 21 percent in 2024. (55)

In a sharp contrast: 

• Searches for the new “Evie ring” (designed for women and launched in November of 2023) increased by 712 percent this past year year. (56)
• Likewise, Oura ring searches were up 15 percent over the past year and are expected to increase by 22 percent in 2024. (57)

Rohrscheib says, “The rings are becoming increasingly popular because they were designed specifically for sleep, whereas the watches have many non-sleep-related functions. People also find the rings less intrusive.” 

“Consumer sleep trackers are great for providing a general idea about how you’re sleeping, and they can also motivate you to improve your sleep hygiene,” says Rohrscheib. And while research shows that they can facilitate improved sleep quality, Rohrscheib warns, “Sleep trackers are not as accurate as medical sleep devices, and the data becomes less reliable for individuals with chronic sleep issues and sleep disorders.” (58) She also notes, “There’s always a small risk someone might develop orthosomnia, or a fixation on perfect sleep.” 

To keep orthosomnia in check, Rohrscheib says, “Try to focus on how you feel every morning instead of the data provided by your trackers.” 

#9 Pokemon Sleep

Released in July 2023, the Pokemon sleep app has skyrocketed in popularity, and 2024 looks great. By rewarding sleepers based on the quality of their sleep, the app turns sleep into a game. And based on the data, it looks like Pokemon Sleep is “winning.”  

• Searches for the Pokemon sleep app were up 618 percent over the past year. And while it’s expected to slow down, the app is still expected to clock a 91 percent increase in searches over 2024. (59)
• The Pokemon Sleep group on Reddit has over 45k members. (60)
• Pokemon Sleep is #3 out of all meditation and sleep apps (not too shabby for six months!). (61)  

#10 Grounding Your Bed 

Over the past year, grounding has gained significant traction as a potential remedy for a host of health issues, not the least of which is improved sleep. Grounding, also known as earthing, involves connecting the body to the Earth’s surface by walking barefoot on natural terrain, sitting or lying down on the ground, or using grounding products like mats, sheets, mattress pads, and shoes to achieve similar results. 

Sifting through the data, we found:

• Searches for grounding increased by 26 percent and are expected to increase by 21 percent throughout 2024. (62)
• “Earthing” searches increased by 14 percent over the past year and are expected to see a 10 percent boost in 2024. (63)
• “Earthing mat” has over 240 million views on TikTok. (64)
• Searches for grounding beds jumped a whopping 189 percent in 2023 and are expected to keep on keeping on with an anticipated 53 percent increase in 2024. (65)

While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind grounding and its effects on sleep, existing studies suggest that the practice could benefit your sleep routine and overall health. One study published in 2020 showed that grounding is a simple yet profound lifestyle change that can improve your sleep, while another showed grounding can reduce inflammation. (66) (67)

The Last Word From Sleepopolis

Whew! No doubt new trends will spring up in 2024, but these are the sleep trends that carried us through 2023. If you’re looking to catch a little extra sleep, give some of these a try — just be sure there’s some scientific backing behind your chosen method!

Sharon Brandwein

Sharon Brandwein is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and a freelance writer. She specializes in health and beauty, parenting, and of course, all things sleep. Sharon’s work has also appeared on ABC News, USAToday, and Forbes. When she’s not busy writing, you might find her somewhere curating a wardrobe for her puppy.