Free self-help resources for sleep problems and insomnia
A few bad nights are part of life, especially when you are stressed, grieving or adjusting to a new country. Insomnia is when poor sleep keeps going for weeks and starts to affect your days.
The approach with the strongest evidence for long-term insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). It goes further than sleep hygiene tips. It works on the habits and worries that keep the body alert at night, and it usually includes keeping a sleep diary and setting a regular sleep window. Several resources below teach CBT-I for free, including an app from the US Department of Veterans Affairs and an Australian online course.
You will also find short NHS guides, printable information sheets, and pages in German, Dutch and French.
Sleep work can make you more tired for the first week or two before it helps. That is normal.
Please see a doctor first if you snore loudly or stop breathing in your sleep, if your legs feel restless at night, or if poor sleep comes with very low mood. Medical causes need checking, and some CBT-I steps are not suitable for everyone.
Insomnia Coach (app)
US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD · App · CBT · English
A free app based on CBT-I, with a sleep diary, a weekly training plan and tips for improving sleep habits. The VA says it can be used as a stand-alone self-care tool or alongside professional care.
Built by a US government team on the treatment with the best evidence for insomnia.
For: Adults with ongoing insomnia, not only veterans · Free to download on iOS and Android; US government app.
Insomnia online course (THIS WAY UP)
THIS WAY UP, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney · Course · CBT · English · needs an account
A four-module online course covering sleep science, relaxation, thought challenging and strategies for staying asleep, with a sleep diary. You need an account, and self-help users get no clinical support.
Run by a hospital-based clinical research unit, free to self-help users.
For: Adults with long-standing sleep problems who want a structured course · Free to use; copyright St Vincent's Hospital Sydney.
Sleep problems and insomnia self-help guide
NHS inform (NHS 24, Scotland) · Guide · CBT · English
An online guide in steps that helps you understand your sleep problem and try practical changes. Free to read with no account.
From a national NHS information service and based on CBT principles.
For: Adults who want a step-by-step guide without signing up · Free to read online; copyright NHS 24.
Sleep problems (Every Mind Matters)
NHS England · Website · mixed · English
Explains how much sleep adults need, when poor sleep becomes insomnia, and what you can do tonight. There is a short video and links to further NHS help.
A clear, trustworthy first stop.
For: Anyone wondering whether their sleep is a problem · Free to read online; copyright NHS England.
Sleep information sheets and sleep diary (CCI)
Centre for Clinical Interventions, WA Health · Worksheet · CBT · English
Short printable sheets on facts about sleep and sleep hygiene, plus a sleep diary. The page also points to the CCI worry materials for people who cannot switch off at night.
Simple, well-made tools from a public specialist clinic.
For: Anyone starting to track and change their sleep habits · Free to download for personal use; copyright Government of Western Australia, not openly licensed.
Sleeping Problems guide (CNTW)
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust · Guide · CBT · English, British Sign Language
A booklet on sleeping problems written by NHS clinical psychologists. It comes as a leaflet, an easy read version, audio and a BSL video.
Short, practical and accessible.
For: Adults who want a short booklet or something to listen to · Free to download; printed copies are sold to support the Trust's charity.
Sleep and insomnia self-help pages
Get Self Help (Carol Vivyan, CBT therapist) · Worksheet · CBT · English
Free information sheets and worksheets on sleep and insomnia. Handy as a quick reference alongside a fuller course.
A clinician-made library many NHS therapists use.
For: People who like printable sheets · Free for personal use and use in therapy; not to be reproduced elsewhere.
Schlafprobleme und Schlafstörungen (Insomnie)
gesundheitsinformation.de (IQWiG) · Website · psychoeducation · German
A plain-language German overview of insomnia, its causes and what helps. It explains which treatments have good evidence.
From Germany's independent Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.
For: German speakers who want independent information · Free to read online; copyright IQWiG.
Schlafstörungen
Gesundheitsportal, Austrian Federal Ministry of Health · Website · psychoeducation · German
Austria's public health portal on sleep disorders. Linked pages cover insomnia, nightmares and tips for sleeping well.
Official public information, useful for understanding care in Austria.
For: German speakers, especially in Austria · Free to read online; copyright of the publisher.
Slecht slapen
Thuisarts.nl (Dutch College of General Practitioners) · Website · psychoeducation · Dutch
Clear Dutch pages with doctors' advice on sleeping better. They also explain when it is worth seeing a GP.
Based on the guidelines Dutch GPs use.
For: Dutch speakers, and expats in the Netherlands who read Dutch · Free to read online; copyright Thuisarts.nl.
Slecht slapen (Mentaal Vitaal)
Trimbos-instituut (funded by the Dutch Ministry of Health) · Website · mixed · Dutch
Practical Dutch advice on poor sleep from the national mental health institute. It links to other Mentaal Vitaal pages on worry and stress.
Publicly funded and from the Netherlands' national institute for mental health.
For: Dutch speakers who want practical tips · Free to read online; copyright Trimbos-instituut.
Quand le sommeil s'en mêle
Psycom (French public mental health information body) · Website · psychoeducation · French
A French-language page on how sleep and mental health affect each other. It covers common sleep problems and where to find help.
From a French public mental health information body.
For: French speakers · Free to read online; copyright Psycom.
Sleep Problems and Disorders (Psychology 2e, section 4.4)
OpenStax, Rice University · Book · psychoeducation · English
A free textbook section on insomnia and other sleep disorders. Neighbouring sections explain sleep stages and why we sleep.
Peer-reviewed open textbook from a university publisher.
For: Readers who want the science of sleep · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Questions people ask
What is CBT-I and how is it different from sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene means general habits such as cutting caffeine or keeping the bedroom dark. CBT-I goes further. It uses a sleep diary, a set sleep window, getting up when you cannot sleep, and work on worries about sleep. It is the first treatment recommended for long-term insomnia in many clinical guidelines.
Is the VA Insomnia Coach app only for veterans?
No. The US Department of Veterans Affairs says Insomnia Coach was made for everyone, including veterans. It is free on iOS and Android. A related app, CBT-i Coach, is designed for people working with a clinician, so for self-help on your own Insomnia Coach is the better fit.
Why might I feel more tired when I start CBT-I?
Some CBT-I steps, especially limiting time in bed, can make you sleepier for the first week or two while your body adjusts. Take care with driving and other risky tasks during that time. If you have a condition such as epilepsy or bipolar disorder, talk to a doctor before restricting sleep.
When should I see a doctor about sleep?
See a GP if poor sleep lasts more than a few weeks and affects your days, if someone notices you snoring loudly or stopping breathing, if your legs feel restless at night, or if sleep problems come with very low mood or anxiety. Some sleep problems have medical causes that need checking.