What is Pokemon Sleep? Release date & Pokemon Go compatibility

Luca Di Marzo
Snorlax in Pokemon Sleep

After being announced in 2019, Pokemon fans around the world can finally dive into the Pokemon Sleep experience. Here’s everything you need to know about the sleeping app, including its different features and connectivity with Pokemon Go.

Pokemon fans received a ton of news during the 2023 Pokemon Presents showcase on Pokemon Day. Scarlet and Violet players have a lot to look forward to, including The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC content.

Fans of Pokemon’s mobile offerings are also in for a treat with a brand-new game called Pokemon Sleep. Here’s what you need to know about Pokemon Sleep, including how it ties into Pokemon Go.

Pokemon Sleep release date

Pokemon Sleep is available worldwide as of July 19, 2023. The Pokemon Company finally released the app in the US and Japan to round up its global launch. Previously, the game was released in selected countries starting on July 16.

Pokemon Sleep was first teased four years ago during a Pokemon presentation on May 28, 2019. It’s been a long time coming for Pokemon Sleep, and many fans of the franchise wondered if the game would ever see the light of day.

Pokemon Sleep explained

Pokemon Sleep introduces players to Professor Neroli, who, alongside Snorlax, is researching the way Pokemon sleep. Your job is to help Professor Neroli out with his research. Luckily, all you need to do is sleep in order to contribute to Neroli’s discoveries.

“By leaving your smartphone by your pillow when you go to bed, your sleep will be measured and analyzed. Your sleep will be categorized into one of three ‘sleep types,’ and Pokemon that sleep in similar ways will gather around Snorlax.”

The length of your sleep will measure your score in the morning, which will influence the amount of Pokemon you’ll notice around Snorlax when you wake up. Placing your smartphone next to your pillow before you go to bed will allow Pokemon Sleep to track your sleep. The app will also register sound to classify your sleep each night.

Your sleep can be classified by one of the following categories: Dozing, Snoozing, or Slumbering. Pokemon also carry sleep classifications. When you wake up, you’ll notice that the Pokemon who share your classification will gather around Snorlax. Each Pokemon species has multiple sleeping styles as well, so you’ll be able to collect different versions of the same Pokemon.

During the day, you can interact with Snorlax by giving it berries and making food to increase its strength. Pokemon Sleep will then multiply Snorlax’s strength with your sleep score to determine Snorlax’s Drowsy Power. More Pokemon will gather around Snorlax the more Drowsy Power it has.

Players will get a different Snorlax each week with the goal of incrementing its size. The bigger the Snorlax, the rarer the Pokemon that gather around it.

Pokemon Sleep & Pokemon Go compatibility

Pokemon Sleep shares connectivity with Pokemon Go through the Pokemon Go Plus+ accessory. The device measures your sleep data, and it’s already available to purchase.

Not only does it measure your sleep data, but it ties into Pokemon Sleep by having the Pikachu in the Pokemon Go Plus+ sing lullabies for you: “The more sleep you get together, the friendlier this Pikachu will become—you can even unlock new alarm sounds as your bond grows.”

Players that connect the Pokemon Go Plus+ accessory to Pokemon Sleep will instantly get a Pikachu in a nightcap that will help them raise Snorlax.

Pokemon Go players can also complete the Catching Some Z’s Special Research by registering their sleep for more than 20 days for a chance to get five encounters with Snorlax wearing a nightcap.


For more, check out some of our other Pokemon guides:

How to connect Pokemon Go to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Pokemon Go Spotlight Hour schedule | Pokemon Go Raid schedule | How to heal Pokemon in Pokemon Go | How many Pokemon are there? | Best Pokemon for PvP battles in Pokemon Go | How to get revives in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go best attackers ranked | How to get Master Ball in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Are Pokemon Scarlet & Violet getting DLC? | How many Pokemon types are in Scarlet & Violet?