I knew my screen time was a problem, but I wasn’t ready to deal with it. Then, by chance, Pokémon Sleep launched.

I downloaded the app out of curiosity, expecting a simple sleep tracker with a cute Pokémon twist. But what I found was something much more valuable. While its primary function is to monitor your sleep quality, the app introduces routines and mechanics that unexpectedly helped me cut down on my screen time, and in doing so, start taking back control of my life.

Like so many others, I fell into the trap of endless scrolling. Whether it was YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Reddit, my screen time was steadily eating away at my day. I’d pick up my phone to check something real quick, and the next thing I knew, I was deep in a rabbit hole, wasting hours consuming brainrot.

Before Pokémon Sleep, it was routine for me to lie in bed after a long day and scroll endlessly—absorbing all the brain-melting content I could find. It wasn’t just a strain on my eyes; the blue light from my phone was actively messing up my ability to fall asleep. Research suggests that blue light can suppress melatonin, the hormone that signals to your body it’s time to sleep. It can also reduce the amount of time spent in slow-wave and REM sleep, which are crucial for proper cognitive functioning.

I’m not here to lecture anyone on the dangers of screen time, but I definitely felt the effects. Even when I got to bed at a reasonable hour, the doomscrolling that followed led to restless nights and groggy mornings. These platforms are engineered to keep us engaged, and the result is that people of all ages and walks of life are stuck in the same unhealthy habit.

Gamifying Bedtime

That all changed with Pokémon Sleep’s built-in bedtime system. The app asks you to set a bedtime, and while you won’t be penalized for missing it, it rewards you for starting your sleep session within a window: 90 minutes before or up to 30 minutes after your set time. Suddenly, I had a reason to put my phone down if I wanted to keep earning in-game rewards.

For example, if I set my bedtime for 11 pm, I’d need to start my sleep session by 11.30 to get credit. Once the session starts, the app has to stay open, so I can’t just tap “Sleep” and go back to watching YouTube.

Now, I have a firm cutoff. I can still enjoy a bit of screen time before bed if I want to, but once that bedtime window comes around, it’s my cue to disconnect. If I’m not quite tired yet, I’ll use that time to plan the next day or read a book—anything but wasting away with my eyes glued to my phone, scrolling through hollow content that I probably won’t even remember by morning.

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“Cheating” My Way to Less Screen Time

Pokémon Sleep is a slow but rewarding grind. You only encounter new Pokémon after a sleep session, and even then, there’s no guarantee they’ll be ones you haven’t already met. That means it can take days to discover new sleep styles or find a Pokémon you actually want to befriend.

Still, every time new Pokémon show up at your campsite, it’s a treat. For me, ending a sleep session and checking on my visitors has become something I genuinely look forward to each day.

As it turns out, Pokémon Sleep lets you track up to two sleep sessions a day: your main bedtime session, and optionally, a midday nap.

Naturally, I found a devious little workaround. On days when I don’t need my phone for a while, I’ll start a “nap” session, toss my phone on the bed, and go about my business. Hours later, I’ll end the session—without having slept at all—and get rewarded with a fresh batch of Pokémon gathered around my Snorlax.

I know, I know… technically I was “cheating,” but come on—it’s harmless! I’d never cheat in a competitive multiplayer game, but this feels innocent enough to justify. I’m only cheating myself, right?

And funny enough, this questionable tactic came with a side benefit: less screen time. Since the app requires you to leave it open during sleep sessions, I couldn’t use my phone while they were active. The more I “napped,” the less I reached for my phone out of habit. Eventually, I started using this trick intentionally. Whenever I need to focus, I start a sleep session and put my phone away. It’s a win-win: I stay productive and I get more Pokémon.

A New Morning Routine

Just like how I used to scroll before bed, I had a tendency to wake up and dive straight into notifications and social media. But once again, Pokémon Sleep helped me break that cycle by encouraging a more deliberate start to my day.

If you’ve read Atomic Habits by James Clear, you know one of the most effective ways to break a bad habit is to replace it with a better habit. Since Pokémon Sleep takes over my screen while I sleep, the first thing I do in the morning is end the session and view my sleep report. From there, I see which new Pokémon have visited my campsite, collect the berries and ingredients my team gathered overnight, and feed Snorlax breakfast.

By the time I’m done, I’ve already eased into my morning, and the urge to jump into social media isn’t really there anymore. Sure, I’m still using my phone, but it’s a quick and structured interaction instead of a long, aimless one.

As a bonus, this new ritual actually gets me out of bed earlier. I’m eager to see which Pokémon showed up while I slept—always hoping today’s the day I spot a new Shiny—so I don’t snooze my alarm like I used to.

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Labeled as a sleep tracker, Pokémon Sleep turned out to be a surprisingly effective tool for reducing my phone use, and in turn, my overall screen time. Its design, even if unintentionally, helped cut back in the morning, throughout the day, and before bed. This quirky Pokémon spin-off (one many people probably don’t even know exists) allowed me to break free from my phone and reclaim hours I used to waste scrolling through virtual junk.

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