NICE recommends offering app-based treatment for people with insomnia instead of sleeping pills

"NICE has recommended Sleepio as an effective alternative to sleeping pills, which would save the NHS money as well as reducing prescriptions of medicines such as zolpidem and zopiclone that can be dependency forming. Economic analysis found that healthcare costs were lower at one year when using Sleepio, mostly because of fewer GP appointments and sleeping pills prescribed.

The Sleepio app uses an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to provide people with tailored digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Up to 800,000 people could benefit from using Sleepio in England.

The app provides a digital six-week self-help programme involving a sleep test, weekly interactive CBT-I sessions and keeping a diary about their sleeping patterns.

The sessions focus on identifying thoughts, feelings and behaviours that contribute to the symptoms of insomnia. Cognitive interventions aim to improve the way a person thinks about sleep and the behavioural interventions aim to promote a healthy sleep routine..." Lire la suite