Megan Harper
Good sleep is about creating actual improvements, not only about recording statistics. By means of practical insights, Artyom Zhuravlev developed Remy AI to close the gap between sleep science and daily living, therefore enabling users to increase rest and vitality.
1. What inspired the creation of Remy, and how does it address the modern challenges of sleep and recovery?
Artyom Zhuravlev: Remy started as a personal research project. I wanted to explore everything science has to offer about sleep. In the age of publicly accessible scientific progress, I began reading all the peer-reviewed papers I could find. It was challenging yet deeply rewarding — starting with simple behavioral tweaks and leading to the fundamentals of neurological structures and connections involved in sleep.
The biggest challenge for sleep improvement today isn’t a lack of data — it’s the lack of a methodological way to apply that data. What initially seemed simple but affects people every day is the overwhelming amount of knowledge without clear guidance on how to integrate it into a busy daily life. Remy aims to bridge that gap, grounding everything in science in an accessible and fun way.
2. Remy provides the Complete AI Sleep Analysis. What makes this analysis stand out from other sleep-tracking apps?
Artyom Zhuravlev: Understanding the common challenges with interpreting data, we designed the analysis to be actionable from day one. Metrics are presented on a spectrum, allowing you to grasp an overall picture of your night’s sleep before even looking at the specific numbers.
But the key lies in anomalies. We analyze irregularities in the data and present them to users, allowing them to link these changes to their behavior patterns. This includes not only day-to-day variations but also trends observed over weeks and months across all sleep-related metrics available from your phone or wearable device.
3. How does Remy use circadian rhythm predictions to enhance user energy and productivity?
Artyom Zhuravlev: That’s my favorite part. We use the two-process sleep model (straight from the research) to predict energy levels throughout the day, tailored specifically to each user. The circadian rhythm resembles a curve, and it not only shifts horizontally between individuals (e.g., starting earlier or later), but it also takes on different shapes for different people. This helps you plan your day according to your unique needs. By the way, you might be surprised to discover an additional surge of energy during the day — check it out.
4. Remy offers a guided 30-day sleep improvement program. How does this program leverage CBT-i and behavioral science to improve sleep?
Artyom Zhuravlev: That’s what we believe to be the most important part of the app — and previously, the Telegram bot. The program helps users establish long-term habits and improve their sleep hygiene. Through the quirky yet likable character of Remy, we gradually build an understanding of how sleep works while ecouraging internal motivation to adopt healthy habits. We incorporate behavioral science both directly — by explaining how to work with habits — and indirectly by breaking the content into small, manageable pieces embellished with storytelling.
5. Remy boasts an 81% improvement rate for users in just two weeks. What drives this success, and what feedback have you received from users?
Artyom Zhuravlev: What stems from behavioral research — and our experience with customers — is that the best way to create a habit starts with identifying a trigger. While tailored to each person, Remy’s program provides structure: a clear point in the day when you start reading the day’s content and engaging in the suggested practices. This trigger proves to be a powerful tool for creating new habits, which we then build upon. By the end of the program, users develop a dedicated part of their day to focus on their sleep and winding down.
Another standout feature, according to feedback, is the character of Remy himself. Instead of plain scientific articles, he brings stories, humor, and personality to the science, making it more engaging. Some users even mention they’ve grown quite fond of the character, saying they’re ‘almost falling in love’ with him. This personal touch not only makes the program more enjoyable but also helps in forming stronger habits.
6. How does Remy’s interactive ‘biohacking’ bedroom feature contribute to sleep optimization?
Artyom Zhuravlev: It showcases devices that can help improve your sleep quality. It might inspire you to purchase one or, at the very least, become familiar with them. It’s a beautiful feature, which visualise the best possible setup for your bedroom.
7. Remy began as a Telegram chatbot with 70,000 users. How did this early success shape the development of the iOS app?
Artyom Zhuravlev: The idea of an app popped up as soon as we got traction in the Telegram bot. The things you can do with a telegram bot are limited to manual input. With the app, our customers can share Sleep Data right on the device, and we can provide analysis and more accurate energy predictions.
8. What are the most common use cases for Remy, and how has the app helped improve user health and well-being?
Artyom Zhuravlev: Most people turn to Remy when they struggle with falling asleep or waking up feeling refreshed. To address these challenges, they use Remy’s sleep analysis or follow the 30-day sleep improvement program. As they progress through the program, users gradually gain access to more tools and practices to support better sleep.
There’s also a segment of users who are curious about the structure of their circadian rhythms. They frequently check the circadian rhythm graph in the app, especially after experiencing unexpected changes in their sleep schedule.
9. What challenges did your team face while developing Remy, and how did you overcome them?
Artyom Zhuravlev: The immediate challenge we faced was the difference in platform-specific behavioral patterns. App users had different expectations compared to Telegram users — they didn’t anticipate information being delivered in a text format. This pushed us to innovate how we presented knowledge to our users, leading to the development of new methods for delivering the sleep improvement program. To address this, we placed a greater emphasis on visually presenting information.
Another challenge was user experience with a growing amount of features. The previous app design used a single chat interface to access all features. While this might sound convenient, we found that breaking features into separate threads significantly improved the accessibility of our UX. Although this introduced what seemed like an additional step to engage with specific features, it ultimately enhanced the user experience.
10. What personal sacrifices or pivotal decisions have shaped your journey as a team of founders?
Artyom Zhuravlev: We adopted a vision-driven, data-informed approach right from the start. The challenge lies in staying true to it — when data clashes with the vision, maintaining a delicate balance becomes essential. There were two instances where we gathered enough evidence to justify pivoting the app’s major concepts, essentially rebuilding it from the ground up to test alternative hypotheses.
Pivoting is always a difficult process for the team. We pour our hearts into each version of the app, so letting it go feels almost like parting with something deeply personal. Through these experiences, we’ve learned the importance of testing hypotheses faster and gathering data from real customers as early in the process as possible.
11. What does success look like for you and Remy in the next 5–10 years?
Artyom Zhuravlev: To bring awareness of science and create a new wave of science-based products will be a win for us. Sleep will always be an area that could be improved, and we hope to create a solution that will help users to cater to their sleep quality in the age of rapid technological development.
12. What does a typical day look like for the Remy team, and how do you stay inspired?
Artyom Zhuravlev: We have a flexible process that allows people with different chronotypes and work preferences to collaborate effectively. Frequent Zoom calls, along with creating space for small talk and planning word games together, help make the process more enjoyable and engaging. And also, sleeping well is a must.
Editor’s Note
Artyom Zhuravlev’s approach to sleep optimization is pragmatic. Remy leads users through behavioral changes and habit-building instead of merely providing facts, enabling improved sleep both realistically and sustainably.
