{
  "id": 12401414,
  "title": "Forget waking up at dawn: Young Koreans are embracing 'sleep maxxing'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/forget-waking-up-at-dawn-young-koreans-are-embracing-sleep-maxxing",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-06T15:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/trends/20261007/forget-waking-up-at-dawn-young-koreans-are-embracing-sleep-maxxing"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In South Korea, a new wellness trend known as \"sleep maxxing\" is gaining popularity among younger generations. This concept, which combines the words \"sleep\" and \"maxxing\" (internet slang for maximizing or optimizing), encourages individuals to prioritize sleep quality over simply increasing the duration of sleep.\n\nInstead of aiming to sleep longer, sleep maxxing practitioners focus on enhancing the quality of their rest through deliberate adjustments to daily habits and their sleep environment. For instance, a 30-year-old office worker named Kang has adopted a comprehensive approach to sleep optimization.\n\nTo monitor his progress, Kang uses a smartwatch to track his total sleep time and the proportion of deep sleep. He also incorporates sleep-enhancing supplements into his nightly routine. To create an optimal sleep environment, Kang employs a sleep mask and earplugs to block out distractions and ensure a restful night.\n\nDespite periods of exhaustion, Kang's commitment to sleep maxxing has made it increasingly challenging for him to remain awake during the day.",
  "summary": "Forget waking up before dawn to squeeze in another hour of self-improvement. For a growing number of young Koreans, getting ahead now means getting better sleep. The \"miracle morning\" trend, which encouraged people to wake up early and devote the extra hours to exercise, studying and other forms of self-development, once swept through Korea. Now, a contrasting wellness trend known as \"sleep…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Sleep maxxing\" trend popular among Korean youth",
    "Focus on sleep quality, not duration",
    "Kang uses smartwatch, supplements, mask, earplugs for optimal rest"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Forget waking up at dawn: Young Koreans are embracing 'sleep maxxing'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/forget-waking-up-at-dawn-young-koreans-are-embracing-sleep-maxxing-12404939",
        "published": "2026-10-06T15:17:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}