Health care technology has come a long way since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In many ways, it was seen as a way to reduce contact and improve the quality of care during this challenging time. While some advances have focused on patient care, others have explored the pandemic’s broader impact, including on mental health, which has been negatively affected for many by isolation and stress, among other factors. Fortunately, several startups are figuring out how to employ technology to promote mental health.
Revery Focuses on Sleep through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A company that has gained a lot of traction recently, Revery addresses insomnia, one of the most troubling symptoms of mental health issues, via an app that combines mobile gaming with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aimed at promoting sleep. The company began operations in March 2021 and has already raised $2 million in funding to launch its app, which is in beta stealth mode. The Revery app should hit the American market by the end of 2021. Investors in the app include Sequoia Capital, Pascal Capital, zVentures, and a cofounder of MyFitnessPal. Such names demonstrate how much excitement there is about mental health technology.
What is most exciting about Revery is its plan to address other mental health issues in the future. Sleep has a strong correlation with mental health, which is why the company chose this problem as the first to tackle. Furthermore, CBT has been used to treat insomnia for several decades. However, CBT has also been used to treat a range of other mental health problems, so there are many ways to apply technology that combines this therapy and gaming to improve psychological wellbeing. Revery will create different games for tackling these various problems. Gaming is an approachable way to get treatment for mental health problems that makes everything feel significantly less clinical.
So far, Revery has not released much information about its game other than the fact that it follows a mobile gaming model, which means that it is designed to be played in short spurts throughout the day. The product comes at an important time when many people are struggling with sleep. Insomnia can have significant, lasting effects on health, especially in terms of increasing blood pressure and lowering immunity. A chronic lack of sleep is also associated with a higher risk of stroke and greater incidence of depression. One of Revery’s founders actually experienced high blood pressure and other health issues linked to poor sleep and was unaware of the connection. Once their sleep became steadier, many of these issues improved or resolved.
BetterUp Tackles Motivation and Leadership through Coaching
Another company that has received a lot of attention over the past year, BetterUp is a platform for life coaching and mental fitness. While BetterUp has actually been around for nearly a decade, the isolation and uncertainty of the pandemic resulted in quick growth in the company’s work. BetterUp is focused on building resilience and motivating people. While the app is not a replacement for psychotherapy, it can be a helpful adjunct or good alternative for individuals not open to other treatment modalities. The company recently received a $125 million investment, which helped it expand throughout Europe. The platform’s revenue has doubled in the past year because of the pandemic.
The BetterUp platform includes an app that connects people to performance psychology resources, reading materials, and leadership and parenting coaches. A variety of different services are available – depending on the particular user’s needs. During the pandemic, BetterUp has focused largely on the needs of a remote workforce and offers products for people at different levels. For example, top-tier managers have access to executive coaching, which emphasizes leadership and helps people build skills they can bring back to the workplace. The company measures its results in terms of focus, productivity, and resilience. Companies can even see anonymized data about how their employees do after getting connected with the platform in terms of productivity.
People may wonder whether virtual coaching is as effective as in-person options. While the pandemic has made virtual options more appealing, there is also some research to suggest that it is more effective. Some clients have reported that they feel less inhibited during virtual sessions because they do not have the same fear of judgment that they would have if they were talking in person. Moreover, coaches themselves say that the virtual environment helps minimize distractions and allows them to focus more fully on the client and deliver a higher level of service. At the same time, challenges do exist, as coaches are likely to miss nonverbal cues when they are providing virtual services. This means that coaches need to rely more heavily on voice and empathy.