What do we mean when we say “24-hour mental health solution”?

As the early morning hours pass on the clock — 1:21, 2:42, 3:56 — so, too, do the thoughts, fears, and worries. Will the kids let me get some work done tomorrow? Is this pandemic ruining their future? What if my boss doesn’t like my presentation? How secure is my job anyway?

Of course, those thoughts don’t just disappear with the rising sun. The day brings more challenges, new worries, and plenty of stress. Without so much as a wink of sleep, getting through the workday is a Herculean task. And somewhere around 8:00 in the evening, when the dishes are done and the kids are getting ready for bed, the terrible certainty of yet another sleepless night sets in.

Around-the-clock mental health support

This is the reality for millions of workers around the world. They’re worried, and those worries don’t pay attention to the clock. Daytime worry and anxiety feeds poor sleep at night, and vice versa—creating a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle of poor mental health—day and night.

Our solutions were built on that insight. Sleepio supports those struggling with poor sleep, and its companion product, Daylight, supports those struggling with worry and anxiety. We know that people’s mental health challenges are a 24-hour problem that requires a 24-hour solution. Despite the fact that so many people suffer from this cycle of sleepless nights and anxious days, we also know that the way people perceive their problem impacts how they search for and access help.

A relevant “first step” into care is key

One employee may describe their mental health struggle through the lens of poor sleep.

“If I could get a good night’s sleep, I’d be fine during the day.”

Another employee experiencing the same symptoms might describe their challenge by focusing on their daytime issues.

“If I could just control my worry and anxiety, I could finally get a good night’s sleep!”

The truth is, they are both right. But despite experiencing similar symptoms the first employee is more likely to engage with a solution to help them sleep—and that’s Sleepio. The second needs a solution for their worry and anxiety—and that’s Daylight. Thus, each product acts as a complementary “first-step” into effective, stigma-free mental healthcare. The key is allowing users to engage with the solution that most accurately represents their perceived need and lived experience—because they simply won’t engage otherwise.

Addressing the root cause of poor mental health

Sleepio and Daylight are fully-automated digital therapeutics that address the 24-hour problem of mental health by employing proven cognitive and behavioral techniques. Critically, these techniques are presented within the context of the perceived problem, so people are able to recognize its relevance to their unique circumstance. For example, Sleepio teaches people how to use Progressive Relaxation to alleviate tension in the body and help them fall asleep. Daylight teaches a similar exercise to help calm physical symptoms of worry and anxiety, but it’s called Tense and Release. Both are based on the behavioral principles of progressive muscle relaxation and applied relaxation, and both work to address the ‘root cause’ of poor mental health—negative thoughts and behaviors. So regardless of which solution an employee chooses to engage with, they will learn key cognitive and behavioral techniques that help address a broad range of mental health challenges.

Keep in mind, people’s perceptions about their mental health can change over time. While they might think sleep is their primary concern at the beginning of their mental health journey, they could later shift their focus to daytime worry and anxiety. The key is allowing users to engage with the solution that resonates with their lived experience at the time. That’s why it’s critical to provide both Sleepio and Daylight, so you can be sure your employees have access to the support they need, when they need it—day or night.

Check out our product pages to learn more about how Sleepio & Daylight can help your employees sleep better, feel happier, and worry less.