A global obsession with sleep and how much we get of it has resulted in an entire industry centred around optimising and tracking nighttime slumber with apps and wearable devices. But is this deluge of data actually preventing people from getting a good night’s sleep rather than enabling it?

From election uncertainty to pandemic anxiety, 2020 gave people many a reason to stay up at night. Tatch’s wearable sleeping patches aim to help people gain control of their sleep through smart tracking, tapping into growing desires for health-hacking tools that suggest actionable lifestyle changes.

‘Slumber parties’ used to mean pillow fights, but today they’re just as likely to involve an eight-hour stream of someone sleeping on Twitch. Live sleep streams are booming on the platform, offering viewers a slow, voyeuristic sense of intimacy and connection following a year of social disruption.

As well as disrupting their shopping habits and working arrangements, COVID-19 caused the upheaval of regular sleeping schedules for many Americans. With pandemic-related stress set to continue into 2021, how can brands help combat insomnia and guide people into dreamland?