If you want to snuggle into bed just like a baked potato in its jacket, there’s a recent TikTok trend that can help you get there: the potato bed method.
Just flip a fitted bottom sheet upside down on your bed, then stuff its elastic edges with comfy pillows and blankets. Layer even more blankets in the middle, then climb in. Short of topping yourself with a pat of butter and a sprinkling of chives, you’ve got everything you need for a potato-like night’s sleep that some fans claim will boost relaxation hormones and make you feel safe and supported.
Dr. Rachel Salas, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said that the trend reflects people’s desire to create “their own personal refuge away from the constant buzz of life.”
In a blanket-stuffed cocoon, people may feel the comfort they did when they were swaddled as a baby. “It may help reduce anxiety by fostering a sense of being held,” she explained. “The psychological reassurance can lead to improved sleep quality, as individuals feel more relaxed and less restless.”
As cozy as this setup sounds, sleep experts caution that it might not be for everyone. Below, they offer advice on when sleeping in a “potato bed” setup might be helpful, harmful or just a waste or time.
Experts say certain populations shouldn’t sleep this way — and the trend could be a barrier to a good night’s rest.
“This trend may not be suitable for young children, pets or individuals with mobility issues, as they may struggle to safely navigate confined spaces,” Salas said.
And then there’s the issue of bedroom temperature. “The recommended room temperature for good sleep is actually between 60 and 68 degrees, because cooler temperatures help the body move into deep sleep, which is the most restorative,” said Allison Wilkerson, associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. “Too many blankets can create more heat and work against this principle.”
Dr. William Lu, a sleep medicine physician who serves as the medical director at Dreem Health, a digital sleep clinic, raised another concern: “Sleeping like that can also trap your body in unnatural positions that compromise back support, leading to aches and pains. I’d recommend the potato trend for short-term relaxation instead of getting an entire night’s sleep wrapped in a cocoon.”
If it’s coziness you’re after, there may be other ways to achieve the goal. “Alternatives may include weighted blankets, sensory-friendly bedding options or creating a cozy sleeping atmosphere by dimming lights and minimizing noise,” Salas said. “These options can encourage relaxation while prioritizing safety.”
Grace Cary via Getty Images
Snug as a bug in a … potato? The latest cozy sleep trend, known as a “potato bed,” is going viral on TikTok.
If you try the “potato bed,” there’s an easy way to tell if it actually helped you sleep better.
Most experts told HuffPost that as long as you don’t have any counter-indications, you can feel free to give the trend a try. A good night’s sleep is very much dependent on your own body, not anyone else’s new bedtime trend.
To figure out whether it’s working, check in with yourself in the morning after a night of potato-bedding, said Hannah Shore, head of sleep science at Mattress Online.
“The best and easiest way to see if you’ve had a good night’s sleep is to ask yourself the simple question in the morning of ‘how do I feel?’” Shore said. “If you have had a good night’s sleep, and you wake up with no aches and pains, then the chances are you are sleeping fine and your sleeping environment is great.”
Don’t make sleep more complicated than it needs to be.
Just as with everything else, moderation is key, so check yourself that you’re not heading into orthosomnia, an issue defined as an unhealthy obsession with achieving “perfect” sleep.
Patricia Haynes, a professor in health promotion sciences at the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health, noted the contrast between our elaborate rituals, costly sleep aids and environmental adjustments and what happens in many other parts of the world.
“In many cultures, people sleep soundly on futons or harder surfaces, with minimal adjustments,” she said.” It’s a good reminder that sleeping well isn’t about engineering the perfect environment as much as it is about cultivating healthy practices that align with the body’s natural rhythms.”
She warned that excessive alterations to the sleep environment are often what experts call safety behaviors.
“For people struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality, these behaviors are meant to ease the fear of not sleeping. But over time, reliance on them can backfire,” she said. “Instead of promoting rest, they create rigid, ritualized bedtime routines that the body learns to depend on. Safety behaviors end up undermining sleep in the long term.”
Yes, intention and discipline at bedtime are usually good ideas, but they can be taken too far, Lu explained. “Elaborate bedtimes can help people stick to a routine, which helps the brain and body understand when it’s time to sleep.”
But, he noted, “it’s possible for these routines to backfire if people start to feel stressed if they can’t complete their full bedtime routine before going to bed. If someone spends more time considering the products and hacks they associate with getting a good night’s sleep over actually resting, that might cause more tension than relaxation, which is counterproductive to their goal.”
What should you do if you’re struggling with sleep?
Even if your feed is full of people who swear that potato beds will transform your sleep life, it’s OK if the trend doesn’t work for you, Shore said. “If you’re too hot in a potato bed, or if you feel trapped under the weight of it all, then it can have an anti-calming effect, keeping you more awake.”
It comes down to a matter of individuality, Salas noted: “It’s vital to emphasize the importance of personal preference in sleep environments. What brings comfort and induces relaxation can vary widely from person to person. If you’re having problems with your sleep, not able to sleep, it’s important to talk to your doctor, since sleep disorders are common, often undiagnosed and many times can be improved.”
