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Show HN: Sleepfriends – Hire someone to help you sleep via audio/video call

Hello HN, I'm the founder of Sleepfriends (https://www.sleepfriends.org https://www.sleepfriends.org). Sleepfriends is a marketplace that lets insomniacs hire trusted humans to help them deeply relax and de-stress via audio (or video) call an hour before or during before bedtime. On the call, Sleepfriends can guided deep relaxation, friendly chats, active listening, ASMR (whispering) and bedtime stories. The problem is that most people with sleep difficulties (except for those with physical causes) have a hard time self-regulating their nervous system which keeps them feeling wired and unable to sleep. Therefore, having a trusted human being could help you relax and sleep. Think about how much easier it was to fall asleep as a kid when someone would read you a bedtime story, etc. Note that they already have this concept running in psych wards, etc. If a patient is really struggling, they will have a psych nurse to be with them as they sleep. It must work, or else they wouldn't do it. Would love any feedback. This is the first version of the MVP. And yes, I'm Sleepfriend #1! Cheers, Nick (Founder of Sleepfriends)

theNickHatter 3y ago
Why I started Sleepfriends: 1. I've suffered on and off with insomnia and difficulty sleeping in the last five years. 2. In the past 5+ years I've been doing coaching, whenever I've done guided relaxation and visualisation with my clients via Zoom, they've fallen asleep so easily - and it's been hard to wake them up after! And whenever I would hang out with my best friend over Zoom, I would feel more relaxed and able to sleep. 3. I later discovered this "social relaxation effect" was due to Polyvagal Theory, ie. when we have quality connection with people we feel safe with, this helps put us into 'Connection Mode', where neural circuits are triggered in our bodies that calm the heart, relax the gut, and turn off the fear response. If you feel safe, calm and relaxed, you will fall and stay asleep much easier. 4. The problem with meditation apps, the sound of rain and podcasts, I believe they miss a vital ingredient for relaxation: real-time human connection.
- throwaway888abc 3y ago
  How do you plan to compete with OnlyFans ? There is tons of "Guided deep relaxation" personalized content. /s All the best with your project!
  - theNickHatter 3y ago
    Haha, tactfully put there -- and a very good point! Well, OnlyFans might appeal to male audiences, I suspect it won't appeal as much to female ones! Additionally, there's plenty of people who also don't want to watch 'live adult content' be it for lifestyle, recovery, moral, personal or religious reasons. Eg. men pursuing NoFap. I do also believe insomnia reduces sexual libido.

theNickHatter 3y ago

Why I started Sleepfriends: 1. I've suffered on and off with insomnia and difficulty sleeping in the last five years. 2. In the past 5+ years I've been doing coaching, whenever I've done guided relaxation and visualisation with my clients via Zoom, they've fallen asleep so easily - and it's been hard to wake them up after! And whenever I would hang out with my best friend over Zoom, I would feel more relaxed and able to sleep. 3. I later discovered this "social relaxation effect" was due to Polyvagal Theory, ie. when we have quality connection with people we feel safe with, this helps put us into 'Connection Mode', where neural circuits are triggered in our bodies that calm the heart, relax the gut, and turn off the fear response. If you feel safe, calm and relaxed, you will fall and stay asleep much easier. 4. The problem with meditation apps, the sound of rain and podcasts, I believe they miss a vital ingredient for relaxation: real-time human connection.

throwaway888abc 3y ago
How do you plan to compete with OnlyFans ? There is tons of "Guided deep relaxation" personalized content. /s All the best with your project!
- theNickHatter 3y ago
  Haha, tactfully put there -- and a very good point! Well, OnlyFans might appeal to male audiences, I suspect it won't appeal as much to female ones! Additionally, there's plenty of people who also don't want to watch 'live adult content' be it for lifestyle, recovery, moral, personal or religious reasons. Eg. men pursuing NoFap. I do also believe insomnia reduces sexual libido.