Pokemon Sleep: Improving Sleep Habits with Gamification
I was excited to try Pokemon Sleep, the latest app from The Pokemon Company. I grew up playing Pokemon games, and the app seemed like a fun, nostalgic way to improve my daily habits. I’m happy to report that I’ve actually found myself falling asleep faster at night and waking up with more energy in the morning.
Pokemon Sleep is a sleep tracker that gamifies sleep, similar to the likes of Fitbit or Sleep Cycle. It helps improve nighttime habits rather than claiming to make users sleep better, and I’ve been impressed with my improvements. Of course, it should be noted that the inability to listen to anything other than in-game music or silence while using Pokemon Sleep has actually helped me fall asleep faster, but I’ll get to that later.
The app encourages users to set a consistent bedtime, which has helped improve my sleep routine. I used to stay up far too late browsing Twitter and YouTube, and I’ve since been able to fall asleep earlier because I’m not spending as much time on my phone in bed. That said, I’m still not sure if the lack of stimulation has helped me sleep or if I’m just going to bed earlier because I don’t want to listen to the app’s boring music any longer.
Waking up with Pokemon Sleep is exciting, though. Each morning, I’m rewarded for my sleep with in-game surprises that encourage me to keep using the app. I’m not sure if I’d pay real money for these surprises, but they’ve made using the app fun and have helped me look forward to waking up each morning.
I realize this article may sound like an ad for Pokemon Sleep, but I assure you that I’m quite skeptical about its intentions. I didn’t plan on spending money on in-app purchases, and I don’t plan to write about it again any time soon. That said, I do admit that it’s improved my daily habits and overall well-being a bit, which I’m happy to share.
Before I wrap up, I do need to address a few concerns. First, the app does require leaving your phone unlocked and face-down, which is a bit concerning. I’ve been using the app for a week, though, and haven’t noticed anything suspicious. Second, the app is rather slow to load, which is frustrating when I’m ready to start my day.
Despite my few gripes, I do feel slightly better about myself after using Pokemon Sleep. It’s helped me improve my daily habits, and I’ve been sleeping better as a result. I can’t recommend it enough to those who are willing to overlook the concerns I’ve raised.
