Active duty military personnel lead stressful lives. Whether deployed abroad or serving stateside, demands on their time, bodies, and families can prove difficult to manage. Studies have shown that this stress can negatively affect the sleeping habits of active duty military personnel. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a recent study revealed that over 85% of active duty military suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
According to Dr. Reese Omizo, Director of the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) joint, biotechnology research center, “Lack of sleep is a high-priority problem that is particularly pronounced in the military.”
In order to combat the sleep disorders in solders, the Military Health System (MHS) has created a new mobile application to help active duty military personnel understand the connection between actions and behaviors with sleep.
The Nighttime Alleviation Play and Practice (NAPP) app is a mobile, third-person, three-dimensional role-playing adventure gaming application that allows users to learn how healthy behaviors can lead to more productive sleep. In the game, players go through a simulated 24-hour day in hour increments, all of which takes approximately 30 minutes of actual game play.