# Sleepmaxxing, Orthosomnia & the Truth About Sleep Trackers | Dr. Michael Breus (The Sleep Doctor)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-well-7543874/sleepmaxxing-orthosomnia-the-truth-about-sleep-trackers-dr-michael-breus-the-sleep-doctor
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-well-7543874/sleepmaxxing-orthosomnia-the-truth-about-sleep-trackers-dr-michael-breus-the-sleep-doctor.md
Podcast: [Live & Well](https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-well-7543874)
Published: 2026-09-17T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://live-well.simplecast.com/episodes/sleepmaxxing-orthosomnia-the-truth-about-sleep-trackers-SCNATZ1t
Audio file: https://tracking.swap.fm/track/l7UHKpkhi4bKJvef7xe6/pdrl.fm/5803da/injector.simplecastaudio.com/2f0e4e0f-f478-475c-9dea-7641ea4d2c84/episodes/abaa4268-ba4a-46d1-835b-b9dae0d25a97/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=2f0e4e0f-f478-475c-9dea-7641ea4d2c84&awEpisodeId=abaa4268-ba4a-46d1-835b-b9dae0d25a97&feed=zpbnNc5P
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/live-well-7543874/episodes/sleepmaxxing-orthosomnia-the-truth-about-sleep-trackers-dr-michael-breus-the-sleep-doctor
Duration seconds: 2729

## Resource

Is "sleepmaxxing" actually wrecking your sleep? Clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus, aka "The Sleep Doctor” breaks down the biggest sleep trends taking over social media and why most of them are overcomplicating something your body already knows how to do. In this episode, Dr. Breus explains why sleep became a $90 billion industry, what's actually going on with viral trends like the Sleepy Girl Mocktail and mouth taping, and how obsessive tracker-checking can trigger orthosomnia (sleep anxiety caused by wearable data). We also dig into new research on the Apollo Neuro wearable, magnesium and melatonin supplements, why women's sleep research has lagged behind men's, sleep divorce vs. "sleep upgrades," chronotypes (are you a lion, bear, wolf, or dolphin?), and the 5 simple habits that fix sleep for almost everyone. In this episode: 00:00 – Meet Dr. Michael Breus, "The Sleep Doctor" 00:18 – How sleep became a $90B wellness industry 02:37 – The rise of sleep trackers and wearables 03:57 – What is "sleepmaxxing"? 05:03 – The truth about the Sleepy Girl Mocktail 07:12 – What is orthosomnia? 09:16 – How often should you actually check your sleep tracker? 11:43 – Why sleep research has failed women 12:50 – Menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause & sleep 13:37 – Sleep apnea looks different in women 14:38 – New data on the Apollo Neuro wearable 20:24 – Magnesium glycinate vs. threonate — do you need it? 22:54 – The melatonin backlash (and why kids shouldn't take it) 26:04 – How to help kids who won't sleep 28:55 – Sleep divorce vs. "sleep upgrade" 33:09 – Chronotypes explained: lion, bear, wolf, or dolphin? 36:52 – Blue light is a myth — here's what actually keeps you up 38:31 – The 3 things your body needs to sleep 41:35 – Dr. Breus's 5-step sleep res…

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## Transcript

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