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FORNY20-FORNY2020

STUD: Selah Sleep – For better sleep - and screen habits

Alternative title: Wildflowers of Norway - RO: Kvelder for bedre søvn, morninger for bedre dager

Awarded: NOK 1.00 mill.

Project Number:

327394

Project Period:

2021 - 2022

Funding received from:

Many people experience negative effects of smartphone use on sleep, stress levels and mental health. Excessive screen time before going to bed and right after waking up is shown to have particularly adverse effects. At night, blue light and stress provoking content may delay sleep onset and reduce sleep quality. Scrolling right after waking up may cause sensations of stress and overwhelm that can set an unwanted tone for the day. Selah Sleep develops a sleep assistant that makes it easier to put the smartphone away earlier in the evening, and store it outside of the bedroom at night - all while keeping valuable functions that promote relaxation, sleep and enhanced wake-up experiences by the bedside. The sleep assistant will make science backed techniques for improved sleep and well-being easier to access and practice consistently. Findings from interviews, prototype testing and international research reveal that despite people's increasing awareness and desire to change their screen- and sleep habits, few manage to actually do so. The strategies of the attention industry seem all-too-powerful to resist. Our aim is to adopt similar principles of behavioral science that the attention industry uses to make their products more addictive, hence adding to the problem, to provide a solution. An important question for us is; how can we nudge people to better wind-down and wake-up habits, so they can experience improved sleep and get the start to the day they desire? Sleep problems are a widespread public health challenge, with large consequences for both individuals and society. Throughout the project period we have developed further prototypes, tested these on over 50 people, hired two tech-talents, participated in the accelerator Impact Startup and moved into Startup. We are moving closer to our goal; to build a product that helps improve people's sleep and contribute positively to our public health.

Outcomes: - Through in-depth interviews and testing of prototypes we have increased the understanding of the relationship between sleep, smartphone use and well-being. We have shared this knowledge with our testers, potential customers and participants of our workshops - both at high schools and companies. - Through testing prototypes we have increased our competence in the application of principles from behavioural psychology to technical solutions that support healthy lifestyle habits. - Through our workshops and activity on Social Media we have set new norms of conduct for smartphone- and sleep habits. - Increased awareness of businesses' social responsibility concerning problematic smartphone use - through dialogue with Telia. We are at the very start of shifting normative beliefs and building a product that facilitates better sleep and sustainable smartphone use. The product holds the potential to be preventative of illnesses related to sleep deprivation and chronic stress. This can reduce costs within the health sector and for businesses, and not only improve individuals’ quality of life, but benefit society as a whole.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020