AI sleep app aims to safeguard teen mental health
CUHK leads cross-university team to monitor 6,000 Hong Kong students’ sleep patterns
12 March 2026
A cross-disciplinary research team at CUHK has launched what is set to become Hong Kong’s largest adolescent sleep and mental health study — an ambitious project that uses artificial intelligence to detect early signs of emotional distress by monitoring how well teenagers sleep.
In July 2025, the team’s study, “Sleep and Circadian Rhythm: Potential Window for Prevention of Mental Disorders in Adolescents”, received over HK$67.6 million from the Research Grants Council (RGC) as part of its Theme-based Research Scheme. Led by Professor Wing Yun-kwok of the Department of Psychiatry, the project brings together colleagues across eight different departments from CUHK and the University of Hong Kong.
At the heart of the project is an AI-powered app that can monitor sleep and circadian issues among adolescents and, in turn, flag high-risk individuals who may be developing mental health problems. The team has begun inviting students from secondary schools across Hong Kong to join their two-year research project, with an eventual goal of reaching 6,000 participants — making this the city’s most comprehensive scientific survey of teenager sleep.
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