Gaming your way to healthy sleep

PITTSBURGH - Highmark's REMWorks Sleep Store and EdLogics have come together to launch a new form of sleep disorder awareness.

The two organizations recently launched a pilot of a game-based program aimed at educating people about sleep health and serious conditions that stem from sleep deprivation with employees of Allegheny County, Pa.

“We used a pre-test and a post-test, and measured the change in their knowledge,” said Shelby Silberman, director of sales at EdLogics, a game-based consumer engagement company located in Virginia Beach, Va.

The results: Before the program, employees scored an average of 67% on a sleep health assessment; after the program, which includes a series of games for all learning styles, as well as assessment and screening tools, they scored 95%. 

Now there are plans to offer the program on a more widespread basis to other employee groups, said Amy Phillips, director of the REMWorks Sleep Store.

“The beauty of the partnership with EdLogics and game-based education is it can really go anywhere,” she said. “We've seen that this is a successful program in terms of identifying those with sleep issues, educating them on how to improve sleep behavior and encouraging follow-up care if needed.”

The program could be a tool that employers and their employees use to deal with work place productivity issues that come from lack of sleep. That could be valuable to those who drive trucks, operate heavy machinery or work in industries that screen for sleep issues, Phillips said.

“You don't make good decisions when you are sleep deprived and your reaction time is not as quick,” she said.