Pokemon Sleep is actually helping players in Japan get more rest
When Pokemon Sleep launched in July 2023, many saw it as a quirky side project, but two years later, it’s quietly making a real-world impact, especially in Japan.
At the app’s second anniversary event in Tokyo on July 16, as reported by Automaton, The Pokemon Company revealed that Japanese users are now averaging seven hours and 10 minutes of sleep per night, up from six hours and 38 minutes a year prior.
That’s a 32-minute gain and a significant improvement. However, despite the sleep bar being raised, Japan still ranks last among the seven regions Pokemon Sleep tracks, which include Germany, the UK, France, Canada, the US, and Italy.
Pokemon Sleep app boosts Japan’s rest time
It’s no secret that Japan has long struggled with sleep. A 2025 analysis found that Japanese adults average just over 6 hours of sleep per night, nearly two hours short of the recommended amount for good health.
According to a government-backed study reported by The Japan Times, more than 90% of workers say they need at least six hours of sleep, but only half actually get that much. The problem runs deep enough that Japan even has a word for death from overwork: karoshi. In that context, even modest improvements like Pokemon Sleep’s 32-minute nightly boost become significant.
Pokemon Sleep incentivizes rest by rewarding users for their sleep duration with collectible Pokémon, and it seems to be nudging people toward better routines. Players are grouped into sleep types like “Dozing,” “Snoozing,” or “Slumbering,” and receive in-game rewards for hitting healthy targets.
While it might sound simple, the app is proving to be an effective motivator. In fact, the game won a Guinness World Record back in June 17 for “the most downloaded gamified sleep app,” with over 14,929,563 downloads as of May 15, 2025.
While Japan’s sleep numbers are still lacking, Pokémon Sleep is having a positive impact on players who enjoy catching Pokemon in their dreams.
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