• As more than half of Americans claim they’re not getting enough sleep, the new TikTok wellness trend “sleepmaxxing” gains popularity. It utilizes multiple methods to assist people in achieving the longest, most restorative sleep.
• While many tactics have long been known to work, others have experts raising concerns that they may do more harm than good.
• Experts also said that this trend might result in an obsession with achieving quality sleep, which could actually make it more difficult to fall asleep.

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Are you getting enough sleep? More than half of Americans said they aren’t, according to Gallup. But now, a new TikTok trend called “sleepmaxxing” aims to help people live the dream.

What is ‘sleepmaxxing?’

“Sleepmaxxing” utilizes tips and tricks to get longer, more restorative sleep.

Influencers on TikTok have touted several “hacks” to help people hit the hay, from tried-and-true techniques to tech trends.

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What works?

Among the popular TikTok “hacks” are tips that sleep experts have long recognized as effective, such as creating a consistent schedule and adhering to it. This means waking up and going to bed at roughly the same time each day — even on weekends.

Another suggestion is to sleep in a cool, dark and quiet room, which can help individuals wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Experts also said limiting your screen time and exposure to bright light before bed are key. They also recommended to avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine a few hours before bedtime.

What are some popular TikTok sleep ‘hacks?’

Additionally, TikTok influencers have suggested other methods, some of which experts say could worsen sleep. 

Sleep tracking apps have gained popularity through TikTok. While these apps can be a good way to monitor factors impacting rest, they can also be a distraction and negatively impact how individuals think they’ll sleep before dozing off. 

Some sleep experts have recommended using weighted blankets. They said while the blankets can create a sensation of being cuddled or cocooned, they can also relax individuals to the extent that their cortisol levels — the hormone associated with stress — can fall low enough to disrupt their sleep. 

Another thing TikTokers swear by for “sleepmaxxing” is red light exposure routines. Only a few studies have found an association between the practice and improved sleep. Others said it can make individuals feel more alert.

Some supplements can help people catch some shut eye, like melatonin, but using them consistently can mask a bigger sleep disorder issue that may need professional intervention.

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How can individuals get their best sleep?

The bottom line is that experts said individuals should focus on the well-known essentials for good sleep and pay close attention to what does and does not work if they try something new.

They also said spending too much time worrying about getting the perfect amount of sleep can keep people up at night.

• A U.S. Border Patrol agent pleaded guilty to making women expose their breasts during virtual processing sessions for U.S. entry. He falsely claimed the women had tattoos on their chests, demanding they show their breasts to “confirm” the information.
• He admitted his actions were for personal gratification, not legitimate security purposes.
• He faces up to two years in prison and a fine, with sentencing scheduled for July 7.

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A U.S. Border Patrol agent in New York pleaded guilty in federal court to making women expose their breasts to get into the United States. According to the Department of Justice, 53-year-old Shane Millan admitted Friday, March 7 to willfully depriving multiple victims of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches by commanding them to bare their breasts via webcam during virtual processing sessions.

What did the victims say happened?

In one instance on Aug. 10, 2023, Millan was processing paperwork for a woman when he falsely claimed her file said she had a tattoo on her chest. The woman responded she did not have a tattoo on her chest, but Millan ordered her to show him.

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After she did it once, Millan ordered her to do it again toward the end of the call to confirm there was no tattoo and told her he would not sign the paperwork unless she did, according to court documents.

On Aug. 25, 2023, Millan interviewed another woman via webcam demanding the same thing, after he told her husband and children to leave the room.

What did Millan admit in his guilty plea?

Millan admitted he told the women that his requests were for legitimate searches incident to admission into the United States, but he knew his demands to see the victims’ breasts were for his own gratification.

Millan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7. He faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000

• Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Anna Paulina Luna introduced a bill that, if passed, would cap credit card interest rates at 10% nationwide. The bill would allow individuals to sue if they’re charged a higher rate.
• President Trump promised to cut rates during his campaign. Sens. Josh Hawley and Bernie Sanders introduced the same bill in the Senate.
• The average credit card interest rate is 21.47%, according to WalletHub.

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One of President Donald Trump’s biggest supporters and the face of the progressive movement have teamed up in an effort to cut credit card interest rates in half. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., introduced a bill that, if passed, would cap credit card interest rates at 10% nationwide.

What are lawmakers saying about the legislation?

“For too long, credit card companies have abused working-class Americans with absurd interest rates, trapping them in an almost insurmountable amount of debt,” Luna said in a statement. “We need a fair solution — and that means getting rid of the status quo and putting a reasonable cap on interest rates.”

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“Credit cards with high interest rates regularly trap working people in endless cycles of debt,” Ocasio-Cortez said about the legislation. “At a time when families are struggling to make ends meet, we cannot allow big banks to shake down our communities for profit.”

Credit card interest rates have become a bipartisan cause for concern over the last few years. Trump promised to cut rates in September 2024 while campaigning.

“While working Americans catch up, we’re going to put a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at 10%; we have no choice,” Trump said. “Because they can’t afford to pay off their credit card.”

Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced the same bill in February.

“When large financial institutions charge over 25% interest on credit cards, they are not engaged in the business of making credit available,” Sanders said. “They are engaged in extortion and loan sharking.”

What is the credit card industry’s response?

The Consumer Bankers Association, which represents credit card companies, said price-setting has been proven to harm Americans.

It said individuals who lose access to bank credit are often forced to use even riskier lending methods like payday loans which can charge and an annual percentage rate of 300% or more.

“Research clearly shows that when politicians, rather than the free market, dictate prices, consumers ultimately pay the price through limited choices outside the well-regulated banking system,” CBA CEO Lindsey Johnson stated.

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What does the bill actually do?

The bill allows individuals to sue credit card companies if they’re charged more than 10% so they can receive a full refund of the difference.

The average credit card interest rate is 21.47%, according to WalletHub. That’s lower than the record 22.8% set in 2023 but nearly double 2013, when the rate was just 12.9%.

In the final months of 2024, Americans held $1.2 trillion in credit card debt.

• China, Russia and Iran are strengthening military ties through joint naval drills, seeking to enhance regional security cooperation. The exercises demonstrate growing coordination among the three nations in strategic waters.
• The drills, dubbed “Security Belt-2025,” involve simulated maritime attacks, joint search and rescue operations and vessel inspections near Iran’s Chabahar port.
• Observers from multiple nations monitor the exercises, highlighting evolving security dynamics and potential implications for global trade and regional stability.

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China, Russia and Iran have launched joint naval drills near the Iranian port of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman to strengthen military cooperation and regional security.

The “Security Belt-2025” exercises include simulated maritime attacks, joint search and rescue drills and vessel inspections.

China’s defense ministry says that Beijing deployed the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Baotou and the supply ship Gaoyouhu from the 47th naval escort task force. The drills also include warships from Iran’s conventional navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Russian naval forces.

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Why does this location matter?

The Gulf of Oman is a critical trade route and a key passage for global oil and gas shipments. Conducting naval exercises in these waters increases the military presence of China, Russia and Iran in a region closely monitored by Western powers.

Iranian state media reported that observers from several nations, including Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka are monitoring the drills.

What is driving closer military ties?

China, Russia and Iran have conducted similar naval exercises in recent years, including 2023 and 2024. The latest drills reflect ongoing security coordination among the three nations.

In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed an agreement expanding trade and military cooperation.

Meanwhile, U.S. relations with Russia and Iran remain strained. Washington continues to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program, while Russia remains engaged in its war in Ukraine. These exercises coincide with broader shifts in international security alliances.

How does this affect global security?

The naval drills highlight evolving security dynamics. Russia has deepened its military and economic ties with China and Iran, while all three nations continue to assert their presence in key strategic regions.

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While Moscow and Tehran have not disclosed which of their fleets are participating, Russian ships from the Pacific Fleet conducted artillery drills in the eastern Indian Ocean earlier this month.

Military forces from these nations operating in a key maritime corridor raise questions about regional security and global trade stability.

As China, Russia and Iran expand their military coordination, their naval activities in strategic waterways continue to develop. The long-term implications of these exercises remain uncertain.

• The Dow tumbled nearly 900 points and the Nasdaq just had its worst trading day since 2022 as stocks roiled Monday, March 10.
• President Donald Trump declined to rule out an upcoming recession during an interview that aired Sunday. The comments come as the stock market was already sinking with uncertainty over the administration’s tariff policies.
• U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick firmly wrote off the chance of a recession.

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President Donald Trump declined to rule out the possibility of a recession in the next 12 months. His comments came during an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures,” on Sunday, March 9.