‘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.

Digital therapeutics program Somryst is the first FDA-approved tool of its kind to target chronic insomnia. It reflects a growing opportunity for clinically backed sleep solutions that coach users toward a good nights’ sleep using state-of-the-art digital interventions.

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?

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.