Pokémon Sleep’s recommended way to play poses a fire hazard—but there is an alternative

Players have raised concerns over Nintendo’s recommended way to play Pokémon Sleep this week, with the company stating users should leave their phone charging overnight while resting on their bed, posing a fire hazard and threatening the safety of the user. Fortunately, there is a workaround—but it would mean playing on a different device.

Pokémon Sleep is the newest craze for trainers everywhere. With an accessible, passive playstyle that appeals to a large variety of players, the app is cute, fun, and highly anticipated. Hey, earning Pokémon while you sleep—for many fans, that is the absolute dream.

On the official Pokémon website, the recommendation for the best way to get the most out of the new game is to place your phone or other mobile device on your bed with you while you sleep. This is so the app can easily track your sleep and classify it into the game’s three categories; dozing, snoozing, or slumbering. The main problem with this method is that most people are used to also plugging in their phones at night to charge.

The combination of a charging phone placed on a bed or under a pillow actually creates a major fire hazard, as outlined by the Fire Department of the City of New York. Lithium-ion batteries are a major cause of fires according to the National Fire Protection Association and nearly every smartphone in 2023 has one. When the battery gets too hot, like when your phone is being used to run high-intensity applications, there is a fire risk.

Though The Pokémon Company does not specify that players should also be charging their phones while they play Pokémon Sleep, charging overnight is a common habit for most people, and many smartphones simply don’t have enough battery to last an entire night of sleep whilst also running the app.

Related: I’m already tired of Pokémon Sleep

Players on the official Pokémon Sleep subreddit have already discussed the application draining their phone’s batteries. One user said they attempted to run the app without leaving their phone on charge but found the battery drained in “just four to five hours,” with their sleep session not saved.

So how can players get the most out of Pokémon Sleep while still ensuring a stray Charmander won’t come burn their house down? That’s where Nintendo’s easy solution comes in.

The newest piece of hardware released to accompany Pokémon Sleep is the Pokémon Go Plus +, a small Bluetooth device that links with the app to track your sleep and add some other features. The Pokémon Go Plus + is a safe way to track your sleep accurately in the app while also staying safe.

Though some players expressed concerns over the same issue of battery life, others assured them the battery life of the Pokémon Go Plus + lasts for several days—easily enough to make the most out of your nightly sleep session.

The only downfall of the Pokémon Go Plus + is that it retails for $54.99 USD, which is a bit of a steep price for a sleep-tracking app. Maybe a better way to think of it is the full experience of Pokémon Sleep will cost you a bit less than the retail price of a standard Nintendo Switch game.

Whichever way you choose to play Pokémon Sleep, make sure to stay safe.