Pokemon Sleep: Turning Sleep Patterns into Pokemon Interactions
The Pokemon Sleep app has the potential to gamify your sleep, turning the time you spend snoozing into steps for an entire team of Pokemon. While that sort of measurement doesn’t usually appeal to me as a self-proclaimed health nut, it’s surprisingly been an impactful addition to my nightly routine – at least, a little bit.
It’s also helped me realize I’m a little too reliant on podcasts to fall asleep, which is something I’m actively trying to change. I’ve been using Pokemon Sleep since its launch last week, and while I’m not sure if it’s actually improved my sleep, it has slightly improved some of my daily habits – and that’s something I can get behind.
Right away, I’m impressed by Pokemon Sleep’s ability to turn my sleep into steps for my in-game team. The app doesn’t require any interaction from you – it just listens for when you fall asleep and when you wake up. It uses this information to determine how long you’re sleeping and calculates the number of steps your Pokemon should have made during that time.
The only thing you need to do is set a consistent bedtime, and the app will guide you from there. I like this because it’s forced me to establish a more regular sleep schedule, which is something I’ve been struggling with lately. I’ve been going to bed at different times every night, and it’s been messing with my circadian rhythm.
I’ve been going to bed at the same time every night for seven days now, and I definitely feel better. I can’t speak for how it’s impacted my sleep, but I do feel like I wake up more refreshed these days. It could be because I’m excited to see how many steps my Pokemon have made throughout the night, or the pride I feel when they level up.
I’m not sure if the app actually makes me feel better upon waking up, but I do feel happier in the morning. In fact, I’ve woken up before my alarm a few times. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but it’s certainly made me feel better.
As someone who tends to be skeptical about the intentions of big companies, I have to admit I was worried The Pokemon Company might be using my sleep data for nefarious purposes. Thankfully, I’ve been able to keep my phone plugged in and lying face down near my head throughout the night without feeling the need to check what it’s doing. That said, I’m still concerned about having a warm, wet object near my phone that’s emitting radio waves and has the potential to overheat.
Overall, I’d say Pokemon Sleep slightly improved some of my daily habits. I’m still not sure it’s improved my sleep, but I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun way to encourage better habits. The app doesn’t have a feature to rate how you feel when you wake up, but I think I feel better – and that’s what matters.
If you’re looking for a way to feel better in the morning too, you can check out our list of the best productivity apps to help you wake up in a positive way. I’ll also have to try out the best sleep headphones to keep podcasts out of my ears while I sleep.
