Bedtime Stacking: Is This TikTok Trend Good for Sleep?
Quick Answer
- Bedtime stacking is a TikTok trend that involves getting into bed early with books, snacks, skincare, devices, and other things you want to use before going to sleep.
- Quiet activities like reading or journaling may help you relax, but spending too much time awake in bed can interfere with sleep, especially if you already have insomnia.
- You don't have to give up your favorite nighttime activities. Doing some of them outside the bed and getting under the covers when you're sleepy may work better.
TikTok has given us plenty of new ways to talk about sleep and bedtime. From bed rotting and sleepmaxxing to the latest trend, bedtime stacking, there's always a new approach to how we spend our time in bed.
Getting into bed after a long day doesn't always mean you're ready to sleep. Maybe you want to finish a few chapters of your book, catch up on your favorite show, or spend some time scrolling through your phone. That's essentially the idea behind bedtime stacking, where people bring their evening activities into bed instead of waiting until they're ready to sleep.
While some of these activities may help you unwind, spending hours awake in bed isn't always good for sleep. Depending on what you're doing and how long you stay awake, bedtime stacking could make it harder to fall asleep.
What is bedtime stacking, and why is it popular?
Bedtime stacking involves settling into bed earlier than usual with a collection of things you plan to use throughout the evening. Rather than moving between your desk, couch, and bedroom, you bring your nighttime essentials together so you can stay comfortable in bed.
The trend gained attention on TikTok in early 2026, particularly among Gen Z users. Swedish creator Linnéa Pham is among those credited with popularizing it through videos showing her bedside setups.
A bedtime stack may include books, e-readers, journals, skincare products, snacks, headphones, puzzles, tablets, or laptops. Some people prefer a few relaxing activities, while others bring enough things to keep themselves occupied for several hours.
If you've heard of bed rotting, another TikTok trend associated with spending long periods resting or doing very little in bed, bedtime stacking may sound familiar. The difference is that bedtime stacking is usually more planned, with people preparing several activities to enjoy before sleep.
Although the name is relatively new, many of these bedtime habits have been around for years. In fact, a 2022 Sleep Foundation survey of 1,250 U.S. adults found that common nighttime rituals included:
52.7% watched TV or streamed shows
32% showered or bathed
20.4% read a book
16.6% checked email
16.3% read on a tablet
11.1% ate specific foods
The survey covered bedtime rituals rather than activities done specifically in bed, but several of these habits are now featured in bedtime stacking videos. Respondents could select more than one answer.
After spending the day working, studying, or taking care of responsibilities, having everything within reach can make the evening feel more comfortable. However, getting into bed earlier doesn't necessarily mean getting more sleep. Someone may settle in at 8 PM with a book and tablet, only to stay awake until 11 PM watching videos or finishing other activities.
How can bedtime stacking affect your sleep?
Bedtime stacking isn't necessarily good or bad for sleep. Its effects depend on the activities you choose, how long you spend doing them, and whether you already have difficulty falling asleep. There's no reason you can't enjoy these activities in the evening, but doing them in bed may not be ideal for everyone.
Spending too much time awake in bed may affect sleep
When you regularly use your bed for working, watching TV, browsing your phone, or other activities that keep you awake, you may start associating it with being alert instead of sleeping.
This habit is worth considering, especially for people with insomnia. One treatment used in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), called stimulus control, helps people rebuild the association between their bed and sleep. It encourages going to bed when sleepy and limiting the amount of time spent awake there.
If you already spend a lot of time lying awake at night, adding several hours of entertainment or work in bed may make it more difficult to establish a consistent sleep routine.
Screens can keep bedtime going longer than planned
Phones, tablets, and laptops are common parts of bedtime stacking. While watching a favorite show or browsing social media may feel relaxing, these activities can easily last longer than intended.
You might plan to watch one episode before sleeping, only to start another when the first one ends. Scrolling through your phone can have a similar effect, especially when there's always another video, message, or post to check.
Research has also found a connection between screen use before bed and sleep problems. A 2025 study involving more than 122,000 adults found that using screens daily during the hour before bed was associated with later bedtimes, shorter sleep duration, and poorer sleep quality.
The study was observational, so it doesn't prove that screens caused these problems. Still, spending more time on devices can leave less time for sleep if you continue using them beyond your usual bedtime.
Working in bed can make it harder to relax
Some bedtime stacks include planners, laptops, or other materials for finishing work, studying, or organizing the next day.
Although checking off unfinished tasks can feel productive, these activities may keep your mind focused on responsibilities when you're trying to wind down. Answering work emails, reviewing deadlines, or planning tomorrow's schedule can also bring up concerns that are difficult to put aside once the lights are off.
If you already have trouble falling asleep, keeping these tasks outside the bedroom or completing them earlier in the evening may be a better approach.
How long should you spend bedtime stacking?
There's no specific amount of time that's considered safe or ideal for bedtime stacking. Reading for 20 minutes and then falling asleep easily is different from spending several hours in bed watching videos, answering emails, or switching between activities.
Rather than following a strict time limit, pay attention to whether the routine is affecting your sleep. If you're still getting enough rest, waking up refreshed, and falling asleep without much difficulty, occasionally spending extra time relaxing in bed may not be a problem.
You may want to change your routine if you're:
- Staying awake much longer than you intended
- Going to sleep later because you have more activities to finish
- Getting into bed even when you don't feel sleepy
- Having difficulty falling asleep after putting your devices away
- Feeling tired the next morning because you stayed up too late
If you have insomnia, it's generally better to avoid spending long periods awake in bed, even when the activities themselves are relaxing.
Also Read: What Is the Best Time to Go to Bed?
How to try bedtime stacking without disrupting your sleep
You can borrow some ideas from bedtime stacking without bringing your entire evening into bed. A little planning can help you enjoy a relaxing nighttime routine while keeping enough time for sleep.
- Keep your stack simple. Instead of gathering books, devices, snacks, and several activities, choose one or two things you genuinely enjoy. Reading a few pages or writing in a journal may be enough to help you settle down for the night.
- Do most of your routine before getting into bed. Skincare, journaling, stretching, and other quiet activities can be done in another comfortable part of your home. You can still enjoy the routine without spending hours awake under the covers.
- Finish work and other demanding tasks earlier. Try to complete emails, studying, and planning before your wind-down period so you aren't thinking about unfinished responsibilities when you're ready to sleep.
- Decide when to put your devices away. If watching a show or browsing your phone is part of your evening, set a stopping time that allows you to keep your usual sleep schedule.
- Wait until you're sleepy before getting into bed. You don't have to climb under the covers several hours early to enjoy a relaxing evening. If you're not ready to sleep, you can spend that time reading or listening to music somewhere else.
If you already use a sleep supplement as part of your nighttime routine, following its recommended timing may also help you plan your evening. Sip2Sleep®, for example, is a melatonin-free liquid sleep aid taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
Is bedtime stacking worth trying?
Bedtime stacking can be an enjoyable way to spend a quiet evening, particularly if you like reading, journaling, or other relaxing activities. As long as these habits don't interfere with your sleep, there's little reason to give them up.
If you already struggle to fall asleep, however, doing more of your nighttime routine outside the bed and getting under the covers when you're sleepy may be a better approach.
About the author
Dr. Ruchir P. Patel, MD, FACP, is the Medical Director of the Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona and the founder of Sip2Sleep. He is triple board-certified in sleep medicine, obesity medicine, and internal medicine. Dr. Patel is a multi-year Phoenix Magazine Top Doctor and holds the Inspire Excellence designation.
References
- Achauer, H. (2022, July 8). Why are we all still watching TV right before bed? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/watching-tv-before-sleep-most-popular-bedtime-routine
- Jansson-Fröjmark, M., Nordenstam, L., Alfonsson, S., Bohman, B., Rozental, A., & Norell-Clarke, A. (2024). Stimulus control for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sleep Research, 33(1), e14002. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14002
- Zhong C, Masters M, Donzella SM, Diver WR, Patel AV. Electronic Screen Use and Sleep Duration and Timing in Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(3):e252493. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2493
