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    Sleep doctor here - AMA about sleep hygiene myths

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    Anonymous

    5 months ago

    Board-certified sleep medicine physician here (15 years practice). I see so much misinformation online about sleep. Some quick myth-busting:\n\n1. You DON'T need exactly 8 hours (7-9 is the range, and it's genetic)\n2. Warm milk doesn't contain enough tryptophan to matter\n3. Sleeping in on weekends doesn't "pay back" sleep debt\n4. Blue light glasses have minimal evidence for improving sleep\n5. Melatonin is a timing signal, not a sedative\n\nAsk me anything about sleep disorders, insomnia, sleep studies, or general sleep science!

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    Anonymous5 months ago

    Thank you for the melatonin clarification! I've been taking 10mg every night for years. Is that too much? Should I be concerned about long-term effects?

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    Anonymous5 months ago

    Re: melatonin - 10mg is WAY too much. Most sleep medicine physicians recommend 0.3-0.5mg taken 2-3 hours before desired sleep time. Higher doses can actually fragment sleep and cause grogginess. The supplements sold in stores are massively overdosed. Talk to your doctor about tapering down.

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    Anonymous5 months ago

    What are your thoughts on mouth taping for sleep? I've seen it all over TikTok and my dentist actually recommended it for dry mouth issues. Is there any evidence behind it?

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    Anonymous5 months ago

    Mouth taping has very limited evidence. If you have nasal obstruction or sleep apnea, it could be dangerous. For mild mouth breathing without obstruction, some patients report benefit, but I'd recommend a sleep study first to rule out apnea. Never start mouth taping without consulting a doctor.

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