Popular sleep aids — from weighted blankets to eye masks and anti-snoring pillows — lack solid scientific evidence of effectiveness, and some can be deadly. These are the conclusions of doctors and researchers who debunked myths about trendy ways to combat insomnia, according to infohub.kz.
As The Straits Times notes, interest in various gadgets and methods for sleep disorders continues to grow, but many of them help far from everyone. According to medical specialists, devices such as weighted blankets, eye masks, or anti-snoring pillows show mixed results.
Doctors are particularly alarmed by the practice of taping the mouth shut at night — a popular social media trend. Experts warn that this practice can be deadly, especially for people with undiagnosed sleep apnea or nasal breathing difficulties.
Binaural beats and special sounds also lack an evidence base, although meditation and breathing exercises can indeed calm the nervous system before sleep.
Doctors emphasize that for chronic sleep disorders, supplements like melatonin and magnesium may not be enough. Experts recommend against self-treating with popular trends and instead advise consulting specialists to identify the exact causes of insomnia and select proper therapy.