Key points
- The European guideline includes digital CBT-I as one form of the therapy recommended first[8].
- In a large Norwegian trial, an automated web programme took the average insomnia score from 19 to 10 in 9 weeks[2].
- With a therapist, results are better on average, and people are more likely to finish the programme[1][4][6].
- The evidence mostly concerns web programmes; smartphone apps have been studied far less[3].
What the studies say
A meta-analysis of 33 trials found that digital CBT-I reduces insomnia severity by about 5 points out of 28 (ISI score) compared with a control group at the end of treatment, and by about 3.5 points a year later[1].
The largest trial, carried out in Norway with 1,721 adults, tested a fully automated web programme of six sessions over nine weeks: the average insomnia score fell from 19 to 10, compared with 20 to 15 for a simple information programme[2].
The 2023 European guideline puts CBT-I first for chronic insomnia in adults, whether delivered in person or digitally[8].
Digital or therapist?
On average, face-to-face CBT-I gives better results than the digital version[1][4][5]. Even so, one large comparison of all formats concluded that no format is clearly superior to the others[3]: the gap is real, but it remains moderate.
Much of the difference comes down to sticking with it. In a recent meta-analysis, all sessions were completed by 84% of patients seen individually, compared with 58% using an automated online programme[6]. Human support clearly increases the number of people who complete the programme[7].
The best of both
Following the programme in an app and sharing your diary with a clinician between sessions combines the accessibility of a digital tool with the support of a person. That is exactly what ReSomnia makes possible.
How to choose a programme you can trust
- It uses the recognised components: sleep diary, sleep restriction adjusted every week, stimulus control, work on thoughts. A programme limited to sleep hygiene tips is not enough.
- It measures with validated questionnaires, such as the ISI, to track your progress.
- It plans for safety: picking up situations that call for medical advice, and watching for sleepiness during sleep restriction.
- It protects your health data: hosting in Europe, explicit consent, the option to delete everything.
- It doesn't promise miracles: no “cured in 7 days” and no effectiveness percentages you can't check.
- It leaves room for your clinician, if you have one.
To measure your starting point, the ISI test is the standard questionnaire:
ReSomnia: the honest picture
ReSomnia is a free web app, designed in Belgium, in French for now (English and Dutch are in preparation). It applies the recommended method: a sleep diary every morning, a sleep window adjusted every week, stimulus control, validated questionnaires, safety questions, and sharing with your clinician if you wish. Your data is stored in Europe.
ReSomnia itself has not been tested in a clinical trial: it is a tool for following a recommended method, on your own or with your clinician, not a replacement for them.