SleepQuest
Designed a multi-device solution to help sleep-deprived gamers adopt healthier sleep habits by enabling gameplay barriers, social-support and reminders.
Designed for
SI 684 Designing Consumer Health Technologies at University of Michigan
Role and Contribution
UX Research
Interaction Design
User Interface Design
Branding
Space
Healthcare
Date
November 2024
Background
How Might We
Sleep deprivation, though often perceived as a minor inconvenience, has profound implications for physical and mental health, contributing to chronic and mental health conditions that account for $4.5 trillion in annual health care expenditures in the U.S. (CDC, 2024). Sleep deficiency affects cognitive functions, such as learning and focus, while also increasing risks for serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Gaming, a widespread and enjoyable pastime embraced by 78% of U.S. households (Entertainment Software Association, International Trade Administration), can contribute to disrupting sleep schedules when players stay up late, immersed in the gaming experience.
So, how might we create solutions that help gamers maintain healthy sleep habits without compromising their engagement and enjoyment of gaming?
Design Process
Desk Research
Sleep Deprivation
• Has negative physical and mental health affects
• $4.5 trillion invested in annual health care expenditures in the U.S. (CDC, 2024)
• Affects cognitive function including learning and focus
Can increase risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity
Gaming
• Is embraced by 78% of U.S. households (Entertainment Software Association, International Trade Administration)
• Can contribute to disrupting sleep schedules
• Contributes to many young adults 18-29 disrupted sleep (Solan, 2023)
User Interviews
We conducted unstructured interviews with three online gamers that play a collaborative shooter game together, and one solo gamer that focuses on single-player role-playing game (know as RPG). The average age of the participants was 28 years old, owners of a gaming console and play games at least three times a week.
Findings
Social Pressure
Even though gamers may have different motivations for stopping play, the social impact of the fear of missing out can greatly influence their decision.
Stress-Relieving Activity
Gaming, in general provides relief from daily routines, making it difficult for gamers to simply stop playing and adopt healthier habits on their own.
Immersion Awareness
The immersive nature of gaming provides a strong attachment and players lose track of time or simply won't stop until they reach a milestone.
Product Strategy
Our intervention targets gamers motivated to improve their sleep habits by incorporating features such as pre-set bedtime and wake up time commitments, social support, and three levels of in-game barriers that the user self-selects.
These intervention elements are primarily delivered through a mobile app interface, paired with a smartwatch, which tracks sleep data, and the users’ gaming device (TV or PC).
Solution
Multi-Device Intervention
SleepQuest is a cross platform application that allows gamers to set their sleep schedule, track their sleep and employ in-game barriers to keep them on track to achieve their sleep goals.
Gameplay Barriers
SleepQuest enables a frame around the console or laptop screen with an aggression level predefined by the player, indicating when bedtime is near or has passed. It specifically shows how much sleep time remains. The barrier can be set to one of three modes:
Chill – Adds a persistent red frame displaying the remaining sleep time.
Normal – Includes everything from Chill and also turns the screen to grayscale.
Hardcore – Builds on Normal by gradually dimming the screen until it shuts off.
Mobile App Onboarding
Sleepquest enables a frame around the screen, with an agressiveneess level predefine by the player. indicating when bedtime is near or that it has been passed specifically showing how much time of sleep there is left. The barrier can be selected across three modes:
Chill - Adds a persisting red frame with the amount of time left to sleep
Normal - Adds a persisting red frame with the amount of time left to sleep
Dashboard, Gaming Sessions and Scheduling
The dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of users' sleep habits, featuring key statistics such as total hours slept, sleep quality, and progress over time. It highlights recent sessions, displays achievements like badges earned for reaching milestones, and offers a visual representation of overall progress.
The gaming sessions feature promotes social support by allowing users to check in with friends before gaming, fostering accountability and providing encouragement.
The scheduling module enables users to manage their weekly wake-up schedule, which automatically calculates optimal bedtimes based on their routines, helping them maintain consistent sleep patterns.
Social Support
This feature leverages social support by enabling users to receive encouragement from their network, enhancing their ability to initiate and sustain behavior changes.
The player can invite friends to the app by adding their contacts. Once selected for a gaming session, the system sends an SMS request, allowing friends to respond with an emoji reaction as a form of support for the player undergoing the intervention. As bedtime approaches, the player receives a confirmation of the support provided by their friends.
Smartwatch Integration
The smartwatch is a critical component of the ecosystem, capturing accurate sleep data and providing both visual and haptic feedback for bedtime reminders, social support notifications, and milestone completions.
