Eisai joins with Pokémon for sleep awareness drive
Eisai has launched a campaign to raise awareness of sleep disorders in Japan, via a partnership with smartphone app Pokémon Sleep.
The drugmaker says its plan is to build an "ecosystem" in the sleep category that encourages people to be aware of the importance of healthy sleeping habits on their wellbeing, as data suggests that insomnia and other sleep disorders are increasing in Japan.
First launched in 2023, Pokémon Sleep is a mobile, gamified sleep tracker that analyses a user's movement to track sleep patterns, allowing them to catch and research various Pokémon based on their sleep quality. The phone is placed on the bed during sleep and monitors activity using the microphone and accelerometer, and the app can also be used in tandem with a smartwatch.
Users get a sleep score after they wake up, and that counts towards their 'Drowsy Power', with the chances of catching rarer Pokémon rising as sleep quality improves. According to the publisher, the app was downloaded more than 28 million times and recorded over a billion sleep sessions by its second anniversary in July 2025.
Eisai – which has a heritage in medicines for sleep disorders such as insomnia therapy Dayvigo (lemborexant) – said the partnership "aims to create opportunities for all generations to reflect on their own sleep and daytime performance."
As part of the collaboration, Eisai will provide a picture book called Snorlax’s Dream to medical institutions across Japan that are actively involved in sleep disorder consultations, focusing mainly on those that use the pharma company's Sleep Consultation Navigator information site, which helps users search for medical institutions that can provide advice and treatments for sleep disorders.
The story – aimed at all ages – is set in the world of Pokémon Sleep and delivers messages about healthy sleep in the context of a quest to find Snorlax, a popular sleepy and rotund Pokémon species with a huge appetite who is notable for constantly sleeping, often blocking the paths of players in the Pokémon game series.
"By making the picture book available in the waiting areas of medical institutions, the initiative aims to encourage patients to reflect on their own sleep habits in an environment where they are more likely to be considering their physical condition and lifestyle," said Eisai.
The company added that it plans to "expand its awareness activities by updating patient education leaflets and creating video content that promotes healthy sleep habits."
It is estimated that 12.4 million adults in Japan, roughly 12% of the adult population, live with insomnia, while a 2023 government survey found that the percentage of people aged 20 and older who feel they have sufficient rest through sleep has shown a gradual, but steady decline over the last decade.
