The originator of the morning shed trend says it was always supposed to be funny

For beauty obessives, TikTok is a platform that allows us to expand our knowledge and improve our beauty rituals. 

Case in point? We've never felt more well-rested since adopting the sleepy girl mocktail and everything shower trends, and making them a part of our evening routine. We've finally been able to find a makeup look that works for our facial features after learning all about the high and low visual weight phenomenon, and we've officially pulled back on the blush after discovering we had blush blindness. 

But for those who simply observe and don't participate in these conversations and communities, these trends and behaviours can sometimes be a bit baffling. 

At least, that's what the originator of the viral morning shed trend has surmised, after multiple news outlets decided to spin the sleep hygiene ritual into a symbol of gen Z's doomed sex lives. 

"I started the morning shed trend that has been written up in more than 15,000 news sources, and there are still articles popping up about it every single day, more than six months after I posted the initial video," the trend's originator Devon Kelley shared in a recent TikTok. "While I, of course, think it's important to think critically about literally everything, I think that the news sources have taken it too far, and so have most of the people who have participated in this trend."

Shortly after Kelley posted her initial video she was contacted by The New York Times and Allure to be interviewed about the trend. However, neither publication printed any of her quotes, because Kelley believes her thought process didn't align with their narratives. 

"Honestly, that was fine at the time — these stories were not specifically about me — the Allure story was called 'The Morning Shed And The Prison Of Being Perpetually Hot' and The New York Times story was called 'How The Pursuit Of Perfect Sleep Can Backfire', and it was more about sleep trends in general," she explained. 

And since those initial think pieces, the trend has been covered by Vogue, CBS, and Bustle — who dubbed it 'one of the trends that defined 2024'.

"Still, nobody has printed anything about my thought process around this trend, so I thought I would read you what I sent to The New York Times," Kelley told her followers.

Devon Kelley's morning shed routine

"I developed my sleep routine after years of struggling with sleep hygiene," she went on to say.

"I struggled with TMJ issues. I clenched my jaw all night and often woke up in pain, so I trained myself to sleep with my mouth open, thinking that it would provide some relief," Kelley explained. "I later saw a study showing that mouth breathing can have negative health consequences — from chronic fatigue to worsening nasal congestion. So I did some research and discovered mouth taping."

According to Kelley, mouth taping was the first effective addition to her routine that allowed her to keep her mouth closed while sleeping without exerting her jaw in the process.

"I realise that mouth taping is a bit controversial, because some people can't breathe through their noses effectively for various reasons. I don't tape my mouth if I have any nasal congestion, and I don't recommend it to people who have impaired nasal breathing," she shared. "There's a misconception that you can't breathe through your mouth at all while it's taped, but most mouth tapes actually have a slit in the centre that allows you to take small breaths and yawn if you need to, which ensures safety."

It took some trial and error to land on a taping method that worked well for the trend's originator, who said that she struggled with keeping it on all night, and she also had to retrain her jaw to relax. But ultimately it's been a game changer at improving the quality of her sleep. As has the side sleeper pillow she sleeps with every night, which provides neck support that a standard pillow doesn't.

"I incorporated it into my routine, because I felt like my sleeping posture could use some work, and the pillow creates space between the shoulder and the neck," Kelley explained in the video. "The other items I sleep with are a silk bonnet, which reduces friction on the hair and prevents breakage and split ends, and a silk eye mask — which I initially got because I prefer sleeping in total darkness — but I later realised that it has an added benefit of reducing pillow creases on my face."

Kelley also takes magnesium glycinate to help her fall asleep and improve her restless leg syndrome, and once a week she'll sleep with a Korean sleeping mask on to hydrate her dry skin.

"I'm happy with my routine, and I don't feel the need to add anything to it. Plus, I recognise that this is all a bit much, but my favourite hobby is leisurely self care and sleeping," she went on to say. "I've seen a lot of other creators showing their own sleep routines on TikTok and everybody has a different routine based on what works best for them — everybody is different and has different needs."

Kelley's even noticed people participating in the trend who are obviously joking or exaggerating about what they do, which she's completely on board with — "it was always supposed to be funny". 

The only thing she can't understand is why the news outlets who hyper-intellectualised a 15-second TikTok video about her silly sleep rituals are taking it so seriously. Personally, we just think it's weird that a woman can't even sleep the way that she wants to without someone questioning her mental health or if it makes her unf***able in the eyes of the person sleeping next to her. 

Watch Devon Kelley's 'Thoughts On The Morning Shed' TikTok here:

Main image credit: @devonkelley_

Jealous of Kelley's sleep ritual? Here are 5 ways to improve the quality of your sleep, according to a sleep therapist.