Sleep is essential for health and wellbeing. However, many struggle with getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep disruptions can occur for a variety of reasons – stress, illness, pain, medication side effects, or sleep disorders. One game that realistically simulates the challenge of getting restful sleep in extreme circumstances is State of Decay.
State of Decay is an open world zombie survival game. Players control a group of survivors attempting to build a community in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Managing the community involves finding food, water, weapons, and other supplies, improving facilities, and making sure all survivors get enough rest. However, this last task proves exceptionally difficult.
Why is it hard to sleep in State of Decay?
There are many factors in State of Decay that make it difficult for survivors to get a good night’s sleep:
The constant threat of zombie attacks
Zombies in State of Decay are attracted to noise and light. They frequently attack survivor communities at night, meaning players must remain alert. Survivors on watch duty will often have to fight off zombies, making it impossible for them to sleep. Even those not on watch may have their rest disrupted by the sounds of zombies moaning outside or the screams of fellow survivors under attack. This creates an environment of hypervigilance not conducive to sleeping.
Noisy survivors in cramped facilities
Early in State of Decay, player communities are based in small, makeshift facilities like houses or trailer parks. These cramped spaces mean multiple survivors may be sleeping in close proximity. The sounds of snoring, coughing, or survivors getting up to use the bathroom can prevent light sleepers from getting adequate rest.
Standing watch duty
Players must schedule survivors to act as lookouts during the night. Survivors on watch do not sleep so they can monitor for threats and call for help if needed. Standing guard is necessary but leaves watchmen exhausted during the day. Insufficient sleep leads to impaired concentration and decision making abilities.
Discomfort from injuries and illness
Survivors in State of Decay frequently sustain injuries from zombie attacks, accidents, and friendly fire incidents. Sprains, lacerations, fractures, and blunt trauma make it hard to get comfortable enough to sleep. Sick survivors suffering from blood plague infection also tend to have fever, chills, and body aches that disrupt their sleep.
Depression, grief, and PTSD
The post-apocalyptic setting of State of Decay is traumatic. Survivors have lost loved ones and live in constant terror of zombies. Many exhibit symptoms of depression, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder that interfere with normal sleep. Nightmares and insomnia are common for survivors coping with psychological trauma.
Consuming coffee, energy drinks, and stimulants
To complete daily tasks and remain alert for night watch, State of Decay survivors frequently consume coffee, energy drinks, and stimulant pills. Caffeine and other stimulants make it difficult to fall asleep at night. Their alertness boosting effects wear off and leave survivors feeling fatigued, creating a cycle of overdependence.
Using loud weapons and facilities at night
Players inevitably need to use noisy weapons like firearms and explosives when defending settlements at night. They also construct facilities like workshops and power generators that make loud noise pollution around the clock. These sounds make it difficult for nearby survivors to sleep restfully.
No climate control in shelters
Survivor communities often lack heating or air conditioning systems. Sleeping in very hot or cold conditions can cause discomfort and wakefulness. Survivors have to simply bundle up or strip down and cope with the temperature extremes.
What are the consequences of poor sleep in State of Decay?
The inability to get adequate, high-quality sleep has significant detrimental effects on State of Decay survivors:
Reduced health and stamina regeneration
Sleep is when the body repairs itself and restores spent energy. Survivors who do not sleep enough will regenerate health and stamina more slowly. They will remain injured or exhausted longer following fights and exploration.
Increased risk of illness
Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system. Survivors lacking sleep are more prone to coming down with debilitating illnesses like blood plague infection, which drains health rapidly. Sick survivors sleep poorly and become trapped in a vicious cycle.
Slower skill progression
Survivors improve skills like shooting, cardio, and medicine through use. However, skill exp is only gained from activities performed when rested and focused. Severely fatigued survivors may use skills extensively with minimal gains.
Lower morale
Morale is a measure of mood in State of Decay. Low morale causes survivors to have more emotional outbursts during conversations. Poor sleep tanks morale, while restful sleep boosts it. Entire communities suffer from the collective low morale of sleep deprived members.
Increased irritability and hostility
Exhausted survivors in State of Decay are more prone to get into arguments and fights. They may pick verbal fights with fellow community members or even turn violent against each other, resulting in exiling or the death of community members.
Impaired concentration and decision making
Sleep deprivation severely impacts cognitive abilities. Survivors who do not sleep properly make poor tactical decisions and take unnecessary risks. They may also botch important tasks like wilderness navigation or using heavy machinery.
Hallucinations and psychosis
Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to hallucinations and delirium. Survivors deprived of REM sleep may begin to imagine voices and things that are not there. They can become unresponsive to real threats in a psychotic state.
How can you improve sleep in State of Decay?
It can be challenging, but players can take steps to improve sleep for survivors:
Build facilities that support rest
Construct bunkhouses, trailers/RV parks, and houses to give each survivor their own bed in a sheltered space. Also build facilities like latrines that reduce nighttime disturbances.
Use night guard shifts
Schedule multiple survivors for shorter night watch shifts so each gets some uninterrupted sleep. Reduce guard posts once perimeter walls and defenses are built.
Temporarily rely on stimulants
Have some survivors use stimulants to stay awake while others sleep undisturbed. However, do not depend long term on stimulants due to side effects.
Spend downtime just resting
Have survivors spend their downtime after day duties just resting in bed to recover stamina faster. Do not schedule them for activities in the evening.
Consume food and meds before bed
Eat a large meal and use medicine to heal injuries before going to sleep. This helps survivors sleep more comfortably through the night.
Switch to quieter weapons
Equip survivors with crossbows, edged weapons, and suppressors to reduce noise from fighting zombies at night near sleeping areas. Stealth kills prevent waking survivors.
Base in quieter locations
Move communities to rural areas or bases further from concentrations of zombies to reduce sleep disruptions from ambient noise.
Exile noisy survivors
In extreme cases, exile habitually noisy survivors with traits like snoring or sleepwalking who prevent entire communities from resting.
Ideal sleeping arrangements and locations
Some facilities and base locations in State of Decay are better suited for uninterrupted sleep:
Facilities
- Houses – Allow assigning each survivor their own bedroom
- Apartments – More bedrooms than other bases
- Bunkhouses – Designed specifically for sleeping
- Trailer parks – Separate trailers reduce noise transfer between survivors
Locations
- Rural areas – Far from urban concentrations of zombies
- Warehouses – High walls and few windows
- Farms – Buildings spread apart over large area
- Self storage sites – Shipping containers block sound
Setting up facilities optimized for sleep and basing in remote, quiet locations helps survivors rest easier at night.
Sleep improving upgrades
Certain facility upgrades in State of Decay also enable better sleep:
| Upgrade | Sleep Benefit |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Prepare late night meals to help survivors sleep comfortably |
| Infirmary | Treat injuries so survivors have less pain keeping them awake |
| Latrine | Prevents survivors from needing to leave base at night to use bathroom |
| Library | Reading helps relax survivors before bed |
| Lounge | Comfortable furniture and entertainment helps survivors unwind |
| Washer/Dryer | Clean bedding helps survivors sleep more soundly |
These facilities make the bases feel more like home and support survivor health for better sleep.
Special cases
Certain individual survivors in State of Decay have traits that uniquely impact their sleep:
Night Owl
Night owls stay up late working and sleep during the day. Ideal for night watch but keeps others awake. Should bunk alone.
Sleeps Like The Dead
These survivors sleep through anything, even nearby zombie sieges. Great if based separately from others needing quiet.
Sleepwalker
Sleepwalkers tend to noisily wander around facilities at night, disturbing others. Should be exiled if behavior persists.
Snorer
Self explanatory. Bunk snorers in their own outbuilding to contain noise pollution. Discourage napping during day.
Narcoleptic
Falls asleep randomly due to medical condition. Ensure are kept active and caffeinated for safety. Monitor closely.
Insomniac
Difficulty sleeping at night. Should not be assigned on watch duty as already sleep deprived. Provide chamomile tea.
Needs Soft Bed
Uncomfortable on floor or cot. Requires a real mattress and bedding to sleep. Upgrade to provide beds early.
Accommodating survivors with unique sleep needs makes community sleep management easier.
Ideal traits for night watch
Certain survivor traits in State of Decay make them better suited for night watch duty:
- Night owl – Thrives off night schedule
- Drinker – Stay awake and alert without stimulants
- Discipline – Resist sleepiness and stay focused
- Sharpshooting – Spot threats quickly in darkness
- Stealth – Move quietly to avoid disturbing sleeping survivors
- Outdoorsman – Not bothered by cold nights outdoors
Assigning survivors with these traits to overnight guard duty reduces the burden on other members getting daytime rest.
Worst traits for sleep
Survivors in State of Decay with these traits disrupt sleep the most for communities:
- Snorer
- Sleepwalker
- Narcoleptic
- Needs Soft Bed
- Insomniac
- Restless Sleeper
- Nocturnal
- Night Terrors
As a last resort, exiling survivors with these extreme sleep interfering traits may be necessary for the greater good.
Best sleeping aids
The most effective medicinal sleeping aids found in State of Decay are:
| Sleep Aid Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Sleeping pills | Greatly speeds recovery when resting in bed |
| NyQuil | Provides drowsiness that makes it easier to fall asleep |
| Coffee | Temporarily delays sleepiness to prolong productivity |
| Energy drinks | Ward off fatigue during night watch shifts |
| Strong painkillers | Restful sleep requires managing injury pain |
Strategically consuming these items enables survivors to sleep and stay alert when needed.
Should you build near plague hearts?
Destroying plague hearts is key in State of Decay 2. However, bases located too near plague hearts experience:
- Constant screamer zombie sieges
- Toxic air causing health damage over time
- Higher blood plague infection risk
- Morale penalties from ominous aura
All of these detrimentally impact sleep. Buttraveling far from base to eliminate hearts is risky.
The ideal strategy is establishing an temporary outpost near hearts to stage attacks from. This avoids disrupting sleep at main bases distant from plague hearts.
Conclusion
Sleep is difficult but essential in the apocalypse. State of Decay simulates many realistic factors that can disrupt restful sleep in a survival situation. Players must make sleep a priority and creatively mitigate issues through base location, facilities, survivor assignments, consumables, and other strategies. Multipronged approaches to community sleep management will lead to healthy, alert survivors capable of thriving long-term. Proper sleep habits are key to rebuilding civilization.