The potato bed: is this the ultimate sleep solution? | Sleep

Name: The potato bed.

Age: About two months.

Appearance: The most comfortable way to relieve spinal distress.

Is it sleeping on potatoes? Is he sleeping as potatoes? Neither, really. A potato bed is a popular new sleeping method on TikTok.

GOOD. Explain. To make a potato bed, you need to place a fitted sheet inside out on your bed.

Got it. Now stuff the edges with as many pillows and blankets as you want, creating a soft, thick edge. Finally, layer blankets and quilts in the middle empty space and lay a quilt on top. Look at your creation and tell me what you see.

This looks like where my dog ​​sleeps. No! It’s a bed of potatoes! It is a soft and cozy cocoon in which we can sleep, swaddled like a newborn against the harshness of the world.

I share a bed with my partner. Not anymore, you don’t. You’ve created optimal luxury comfort, but there’s only room for one. Tell them to sleep on the floor. It’s not about them.

Plus it looks horribly soft and uneven. Look, if you want to be picky, an unsupported sleeping surface like this could exacerbate back pain. And some sleep experts have noted that this setup will make you far too hot to achieve a restful sleep state. And you definitely don’t want to make a potato bed for young children, because of the choking hazard. But you TO DO you want to protect yourself from the horrors of the world, don’t you?

Honestly, I just want a good night’s sleep. Oh, I see, you’re boring. In this case, you will need a mattress that provides good support. You might also find a dark, quiet room helpful and avoiding caffeine and electronic devices before bed. But look, no one ever went viral on TikTok by being sensible.

And the pillows? For the potato bed? It doesn’t even matter. A bed of potatoes will take everything you have. Pillows, cushions, blankets, straw, pieces of crumpled newspaper, everything you need to create a cocoon.

Weird that people are suddenly trying to improve something as simple as sleep. Not really. The so-called ‘sleep economy’ is growing every year and is estimated to be worth $585bn (£422bn) in 2024. People will pay a lot of money to get a better night’s sleep.

For what? You name it. Better mattresses. Weighted blankets. Eye masks. Wearable sleep trackers. Headphones that emit white noise all night long. Everyone is exhausted and relying on technology to solve the problem.

I can’t afford anything. Well, you have two options. You could stop drinking coffee in the afternoon and try to be on the phone less.

No, boring. Then you should probably just pack a fitted sheet stuffed with soft furnishings and pray your spine doesn’t explode. Whatever works.

Oh, fine, I’ll go to my potato bed then. Of course. You’re all messed up anyway, so you might as well get some clicks.

Say: “A bed of potatoes is the best way to hide from the world.”

Don’t say: “Because you’ll spend all your time at the chiropractor.”