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Sleep science, explained simply.

Evidence-based guides to insomnia and CBT-I, from waking at 3am to coming off sleeping pills. Written for the nights you're searching for answers.

Sleep restriction

The part of CBT-I that sounds backwards, and the part most people quit.

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The middle of the night

Waking at 2 or 3am and not getting back to sleep — what is happening, and what helps.

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CBT-I science

What cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia actually involves, and what the research and guidelines say about it.

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Getting help

How to get insomnia taken seriously — what to bring to an appointment, what to ask for, and when a self-guided program is the wrong answer.

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Women's sleep

Insomnia is more common in women, and it arrives at particular moments - after a baby, through perimenopause. What changes, and what to do about it.

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Latest articles

A ranked bar chart with one bar far longer than the rest, on a night-sky background

CBT-I science

What is the best treatment for insomnia? What the guidelines say

CBT-I, sleeping pills, melatonin, sleep hygiene. How each one is actually rated by the bodies that review the evidence, side by side.

Oct 7, 20266 min read

A line that falls and levels off, with one small rise marked late in the timeline

CBT-I science

Can insomnia be cured? What lasting improvement looks like

'Cured' is the wrong word, and the honest answer is better than it sounds. What the long-term evidence on insomnia treatment actually shows.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

A long timeline of dots that grow larger along its length

CBT-I science

CBT-I for older adults: what the trials show

Several of the most important CBT-I trials were run in older adults specifically. What they found, and what changes about doing it after sixty.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

A small circle inside the edge of a larger one, showing CBT-I as a focused form of CBT

CBT-I science

CBT vs CBT-I: what's the difference, and which do you need?

They share a name and a philosophy. They are not the same treatment, and a therapist who does excellent CBT may never have delivered CBT-I.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

A line stepping down in five even stages, illustrating a gradual taper

CBT-I science

Coming off sleeping pills: what the research says about CBT-I

One trial tested exactly this: a supervised taper with and without CBT-I. The difference was large. What it found, who it was in, and why it starts with your prescriber.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

A phone outline showing a week of sleep diary bars getting steadily taller

CBT-I science

Does online CBT-I work? What the trials of digital CBT-I found

Digital CBT-I has been tested in large randomized trials. What it improved, what it did not, and what separates the programs that deliver it.

Oct 7, 20265 min read

Two curves on a chart, one for sleep pressure rising through the day and one for the body clock's daily rhythm

CBT-I science

How does CBT-I work? The three things it changes

CBT-I does not sedate you. It works on sleep drive, on what your brain has learned about your bed, and on the effort you put into sleeping.

Oct 7, 20265 min read

A line climbing a set of five steps, with the final step highlighted

CBT-I science

How to do CBT-I at home: the steps, in order, and the safety rules

Self-guided CBT-I is a recognized way to treat insomnia. Here is the sequence, what each step is for, and when to do this with a clinician instead.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

Four app tiles, with only one showing a structured daily program

CBT-I science

Sleep app vs CBT-I app: what's the difference for insomnia?

Trackers, sleep sounds, meditation and CBT-I programs all get called sleep apps. Only one of those categories is a treatment for insomnia.

Oct 7, 20265 min read