A cocreated sleep app designed with input from adolescents in underserved UK populations was perceived as accessible, reliable, and effective in supporting positive sleep behavior change.
Key Findings
Results
Adolescents perceived the Sleep Solved app as a useful tool that provides helpful advice regarding changeable behaviors to improve sleep hygiene.
63 participants aged 16-18 years from across the United Kingdom completed semistructured interviews after trying the app.
Participants praised the app's ease of use and how the science of sleep was explained at an appropriate level without being overwhelming.
The app was cocreated with adolescents from underserved groups to make it accessible and engaging for this population.
Interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke.
Results
Cocreated features of the app, including the Sleep Stars gamified rewards system and science-based 'sleep hacks,' were viewed positively by participants.
Participants reported that the Sleep Stars gamified rewards system had a beneficial impact on their sleep and sleep schedule.
The easy-read, science-based 'sleep hacks' were specifically identified as positive features.
These features were cocreated with adolescents from underserved populations in the United Kingdom.
No existing sleep apps had been cocreated with adolescents from underserved populations in the UK prior to this app.
Results
Sleep Solved was considered more reliable and trustworthy compared to sleep advice available on social media platforms.
Participants directly compared the app to social media platforms for sleep advice.
The app was perceived as more reliable and trustworthy than social media sources.
This finding was drawn from qualitative semistructured interviews with 63 adolescents.
The study noted that hundreds of sleep-related apps are available to download but none had been previously cocreated with adolescents from underserved UK populations.
Results
Participants reported improved sleep hygiene behaviors including more regular sleep routines and longer sleep duration after using the app.
Participants described better sleep hygiene such as a regular sleep routine and a longer sleep duration.
Participants also reported increased feelings of improved mood and energy.
The authors noted that sleep duration was not objectively tested, relying solely on participant self-report.
Improvements were particularly reported among participants from low socioeconomic status backgrounds and diverse ethnicities.
Results
Adolescents from low socioeconomic status backgrounds and diverse ethnicities particularly reported improved sleep routines and mood from using the app.
The study had a particular focus on the views of individuals from underserved ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Participants from low socioeconomic status backgrounds and diverse ethnicities specifically reported improved sleep routines and mood.
The app was part of a larger stepped behavior change study.
The cocreation process with underserved groups was intended to make the app accessible and engaging for this population.
Background
Adolescent sleep duration can substantially impact mood, behavior, and academic attainment, providing the rationale for a targeted sleep intervention.
The study identified a gap in the market as none of the hundreds of available sleep-related apps had been cocreated with adolescents from underserved populations in the United Kingdom.
Sleep Solved was developed specifically to address the needs of underserved adolescent groups.
The app is part of a larger stepped behavior change study.
The study targeted participants aged 16-18 years from across the United Kingdom.
What This Means
This research suggests that a sleep improvement app called Sleep Solved, which was designed together with teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK, was well-received by its target users. In a study involving 63 young people aged 16-18, participants were interviewed after using the app and reported that it was easy to use, trustworthy, and genuinely helpful for improving their sleep habits. Features like a gamified rewards system called 'Sleep Stars' and bite-sized, science-based sleep tips called 'sleep hacks' were particularly appreciated. Teenagers also said the app explained sleep science in a way that was informative but not overwhelming, and they found it more credible than sleep advice found on social media.
Participants reported practical improvements in their sleep behaviors, including going to bed at more consistent times and sleeping for longer, as well as feeling better in terms of mood and energy levels. Notably, these positive reports were especially prominent among teenagers from lower-income households and those from diverse ethnic backgrounds — groups that are often underserved by health technologies. The researchers specifically focused on these groups because most existing sleep apps have not been designed with their needs in mind.
This research suggests that involving young people from underserved communities in the design of digital health tools can result in products that feel relevant and accessible to those populations. However, it is important to note that sleep improvements in this study were based entirely on what participants reported themselves — sleep duration and quality were not measured objectively. Future research with objective sleep measurements would help confirm whether the app produces real, measurable changes in sleep.
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Bennett S, Lewis G, Chambers S, Johnston M, Denison-Day J, Duffy A, et al.. (2026). Inclusivity in Insomnia: Adolescents' Perspectives on the Sleep Solved App: Qualitative Interview Study.. JMIR formative research. https://doi.org/10.2196/82410