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Pokemon Sleep: How This Mobile Game Aims to Improve Your Sleep

Gotta catch them Zs.

Oscar Gonzalez Former staff reporter
Oscar Gonzalez is a Texas native who covered video games, conspiracy theories, misinformation and cryptocurrency.
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Oscar Gonzalez
2 min read
the pokemon snorlax taking a nap

Snorlax has the right idea. 

The Pokemon Company

Instead of staying up all night playing a video game to catch Pokemon, you can now catch the pocket monsters while you sleep.

Pokemon Sleep, a new mobile app from The Pokemon Company, adds a bit of fun to tracking your sleep habits. The better you sleep, the more Pokemon you can catch. 

Sleep is important for both mental and physical health, but not everyone gets a good night's rest. The Pokemon Company says the new app can help players with their sleep by forming consistent bedtime habits that are rewarded in the game. 

Here's everything you need to know about Pokemon Sleep. 

When does Pokemon Sleep come out? 

The Pokemon Sleep mobile app launched on Wednesday in most countries. You can download it for iOS from Apple's App Store or for Android from the Google Play Store

How much does Pokemon Sleep cost?

The app is free. There are in-app purchases for in-game currency that can be used to catch and evolve more Pokemon. 

How does Pokemon Sleep work?

Pokemon Sleep uses your phone's accelerometer to detect your movements while asleep. Players will have to put their phone on their bed or pillow so that it can pick up these movements.   

While sleeping, you'll catch different Pokemon. The more you sleep, the higher your sleep score. A high score means more Pokemon can be caught. 

After a night's sleep, you can check the app for different kinds of sleep that were detected during the night. The app can also record audio for the night to see if there was a lot of noise or if you're snoring. (Some players even said the app recorded them farting.)

During the day, you can see what Pokemon you caught and feed Snorlax. Those familiar with the franchise know that Snorlax is known for sleeping, and it plays a central part in the game. The more Snorlax is fed, the higher its strength, which also translates to more Pokemon being caught. 

Pokemon Sleep also works with the Pokemon Go Plus, the wearable designed for Pokemon Go. It can track movements in lieu of using a phone. 

Why is tracking sleep important? 

Sleep is important to a healthy life, and many people can't get a good night's sleep. There are 70 million American adults who have a sleep disorder, which can be attributed to anxiety, sleep apnea or just a bad mattress

Tracking sleep -- whether it be by a wearable such as the Apple Watch or Oura Ring -- is a way to understand how you're sleeping. 

While we sleep, we go through four stages: awake, core, REM and deep sleep. Both REM and deep sleep are vital to an individual's health and getting enough of these two requires getting on average seven to eight hours of sleep for adults -- and having good sleep hygiene

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.