I will never have to think of my own content ideas again if I just keep talking about mental health aps. This week I bring you a resource to help with insomnia: CBT-i Coach.
CBT-i Coach was developed for veterans, but it can be used by anyone who struggles with insomnia. The “about” section on the ap notes that it is not a replacement for therapy, and it has features specifically meant to be shared with your treatment team.
According to the ap, CBT-i Coach “will guide you through the process of learning about sleep, developing good sleep habits, and getting rid of habits that interfere with sleep. It also provides a structured program to get your biological clock reset to make it easier to go to sleep and to sleep through the night.”
As the name suggests, CBT-i Coach uses tenants of cognitive behavioral therapy to improve your sleep. Though, again, it is not a substitute for therapy, it can provide education and reinforce good habits between sessions. It can also help you track information that is helpful to both you and your therapist to make your treatment more productive.
The amount of items tracked can be a little overwhelming, but you can pick and choose which areas you focus on. I appreciate how thorough this ap is and how it can bring your attention to aspects of your sleep that you might not think of. It also contains fantastic psychoeducation about why different things might be helpful, though I try to always remind people that no technique is universal – some people sleep best with absolute silence, whereas others need some kind of noise to allow their brain to wind down.
By tracking your habits using the diary feature, you can start to notice what works best for you and get better sleep. Overall, I think this is a great resource for those struggling with insomnia, when used in conjunction with therapy and other treatment services.