A new sleep phenomenon is sweeping TikTok, and social media users are claiming that this viral sleep hack has given them the 'best sleep ever'.
What is the latest craze? The 'potato bed'. Yep, it's a bedding setup that resembles the humble jacket potato.
What is the viral TikTok 'potato bed' trend?
First up, what exactly is a 'potato bed'? Tutorials for how to make a potato bed are now flooding social media, with one potato bed hack from TikTok account @secretlifeeee123 amassing over 15 million likes since it was first posted.
Essentially, this phenomenon involves taking a fitted sheet and turning it upside down so that the elasticated section is at the top. Then you take pillows and blankets and place them on the inside edges of the fitted sheet to create 'walls'. I gave it a go below.
The next step is placing a duvet or blanket on the base of your potato bed and then layering another duvet or blanket on top. You then climb inside as if you were the cheese and beans being scooped into a jacket potato!
As TikTok creator @alicekateea demonstrates below, the result is a comfy squishy 'nest' you can crawl inside, a little like the blanket fort you might have built as a kid. 'I had the best night’s sleep ever', @alicekateea said after hunkering down in the potato bed.
And sleep experts agree this TikTok hack can have sleep benefits. 'If you love the cocooning feel of being wrapped up and staying nice and warm, then you will probably find yourself relaxing and falling asleep that little bit easier in a potato bed', explains Hannah Shore, head of sleep science at Mattress Online.
'Plus, the cushions can create a cocooning feel that may provide the same feeling as someone giving you a cuddle. That additional pressure releases feel-good hormones, which can leave you feeling relaxed, happy, and secure, the perfect combination to fall asleep,' says Hannah.
TikTokker @renihamikus certainly looks plenty cosy in the potato bed below, but sleep expert Hannah does warn there are some potential downsides to the viral sleep hack. There is the possibility that a potato bed could be just *too* cosy.
'When we sleep at night, our core body temperature needs to drop a couple of degrees in order to help us get the good quality sleep we need,' shares Hannah.
'The addition of extra pillows and blankets may decrease airflow, trapping extra warm air.' And that can mean your body temperature can't drop enough for a restful sleep.
'Support may also be an issue,' says Hannah. 'Your mattress and pillows are designed to be used in a specific way to provide you with the optimum support throughout the night. By piling extra cushions, duvets, and blankets around your body, you may find there's a lack of support, leading to increased morning aches and pains the following morning.'
So it's worth noting that a potato bed is no replacement for investing in the best mattress and best pillows for your sleep setup.
It looks like TikTokker @jessicacassy_(above) might have the best idea. The TikTokker set up a potato bed and then used it to snuggle up and get cosy in whilst watching a film on a dark and stormy day.
'These types of beds are normally great for lounging in, but may not be the best option for a full night’s sleep,' agrees Hannah. Plus, as Hannah points out, there could be an easier way to achieve the same sleep benefits that the potato bed provides.
'To mimic the feeling of added pressure and warmth without potentially impacting your body’s support or reducing airflow, try a weighted blanket instead,' says Hannah. 'These are filled with beads or sand and apply pressure all over your body. It should feel like someone is cuddling you, much like a potato bed.'
Shop weighted blankets
This fleecy weighted blanket comes in a 4, 6, or 8kg weight and is especially cosy to snuggle up under.
Alternatively, Silentnight offers the Wellbeing Weighted Blanket in 3, 6.8, or 9kg weights – and that 9kg option is one of the heaviest on the market.
Emma's 7kg weighted blanket might be the most expensive, but the option to add a silky bamboo cover makes washing your weighted blanket far easier.
Having recently tested out several weighted blankets for Ideal Home's best weighted blanket guide, I can testify to this being true. I found the gentle pressure of a weighted blanket to be a great way to sleep better.
I've rounded up three of my top weighted blanket recommendations above. And personally, as fun as it may look, I found using a weighted blanket is a lot less faff than rearranging my bed into a potato for the night!
Are you going to spend this weekend getting cosy 'jacket potato' style?
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