PERSONAL FINANCE
Generation Z
Gen Z seeks to optimize sleep and is willing to pay for ‘SleepMaxxing’
Ken AlltuckerUSA TODAY
Aug. 5, 2026, 8:22 a.m. ET
Nick Smart is always searching for ways to improve his overall wellness
When the 29-year-old College Station, Texas, man discovered a cooling mattress topper could regulate body temperature, he thought it would be perfect for him and his wife to catch up on sleep while caring for their 11-week-old son, Emmett
“This could really help us get better sleep, deeper sleep,” Smart said
Smart isn’t alone. Generation Z − those born between 1997 and 2012 − sleeps more than any other generation, a 2024 survey showed. And some Gen Zers and millennials are shelling out big bucks on sleep aides and supplements to meet their personal health goals, according to new data from Truemed, an online marketplace that lets consumers spend health savings and flexible spending account funds on eligible items.
Truemed’s analysis of more than 1 million HSA and FSA orders from January 2025 through May 2026 showed Gen Z spent more on sleep-related products than all other categories, except supplements
Smart has previously used his health savings account to buy wellness-related items, including a red light therapy device to recover from a torn pectoral muscle. He credited the device for accelerating his recovery
When Smart and his wife struggled to get adequate sleep following the birth of their son earlier this year, he searched for sleep-related products and discovered a cooling mattress topper that cost about $2,400. The mattress topper measures a user’s breathing, heart rate and adjusts the temperature through the night
He said the topper has helped his wife to stay cool during occasional postpartum hot flashes
He might not have bought the topper if he had to spend money budgeted for daily living expenses. But because he accumulated enough in his health savings account through corporate jobs at Chevron and an artificial intelligence oil and gas startup, he figured why not use those dollars on a product that qualified as an eligible HSA expense
“There’s a whole movement in how can I get the best sleep possible,” said Smart, referring to a viral trend called SleepMaxxing on social media. “I want to wake up and feel refreshed, not feel like garbage trying to play catch up all day long.”
Can you use your health savings account to buy sleep or wellness products?
Because these young adults are often are grappling with cost-of-living pressures, many are turning to health savings accounts as a way to pay for care or purchase products to bolster their overall health
Health savings accounts are commonly used among workers who get health insurance through an employer. As of mid-2025, a national survey showed U.S. consumers had 40 million health savings accounts with $159 billion in deposits, a 16% surge in savings from a year before
The accounts are especially popular among younger generations who entered the workforce as high-deductible insurance plans became common. About 55% of Gen Z adults and Millennials have health savings accounts, according to HealthEquity’s healthcare affordability pulse report
Health savings accounts can save consumers on taxes in three ways. Consumers can accumulate HSA balances through payroll deductions and employer contributions before income taxes. Consumers can invest HSA funds to accumulate tax-free gains. When consumers withdraw funds from an HSA account, the proceeds are tax free if used for qualified health expenses
The Internal Revenue Service details what counts as qualified expenses. Consumers can generally use HSA balances for medical care such as doctor and hospital visits, prescription medications, dental and vision care, menstrual products, mental health services and medical equipment and supplies HealthEquity’s director of compliance
If consumers want to use HSA balances on exercise equipment, nutrition or items such as sleep aides, they might need a letter of medical necessity from a doctor before making a purchase. Nutritional supplements might not be an eligible HSA expense unless they are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a diagnosed medical condition
Before making a purchase, HealthEquity recommends consumers confirm a service or product is HSA eligible as detailed by the IRS or
What experts think about SleepMaxxing
While some products like a quality mattress can help someone get a better night’s rest, sleep medicine experts caution against expecting immediate results from supplements or following trends pitched by social media influencers
“You have influencers and others who are trying to provide medical information for clicks versus what’s been established and what’s been studied,” said Dr. David Kuhlmann, a sleep expert and spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, or AASM
One popular SleepMaxxing trend Kuhlmann doesn’t endorse − taping or placing an adhesive over your mouth to force breathing through your nose. While some smaller studies have explored mouth taping, there’s little evidence to suggest it should be standard practice to improve sleep
Still, many Americans are looking for ways to get a restful night’s sleep. A recent AASM survey found 45% of adults said family responsibilities have a major or moderate impact on their ability to regularly sleep well. The survey said 39% cited job stress, 36% said housing costs, and 35% said work schedules impaired their ability to regularly sleep well
One in 3 adults get excessive daytime sleepiness, which has been linked to cognitive impairment, work-related accidents, drowsy driving and mental health concerns such as depression, according to the AASM
AASM recommends the following steps for restful sleep:
- Go to bed when you’re sleepy and wake up at the same time each day.
- Take 30 to 60 minutes before bed to decompress. That means avoiding screen time, work email or stressful conversations.
- Exercise regularly or stay active to help ease stress, but avoid vigorous workouts right before bed.
- Eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables, grains and protein.
AASM also recommends talking to a health care practitioner if your sleep is disrupted by stress, health problems or constant worry
“Sleep is something that you can’t just buy or get all your (actionable) information online,” Kuhlmann said. “If you have any questions, go to a good medical re
