DormeonWhat the research shows
Some sleep approaches move the needle. Most don’t.
Here is what published meta-analyses report for each approach, and which ones this course teaches. We separate the behavioural protocol from sleep hygiene on purpose, because the evidence for them is very different. These are findings about the approaches in general, not a promise of any personal result.
The picture
Uplift, and what it costs to get
Switch between the strength of each ingredient and how that strength lines up against the cost of getting it.
Added odds of remission for each ingredient (incremental odds ratio). 1.0 = no benefit over the rest of the method.
The protocol, active ingredients
Cognitive restructuring
Sleep restriction (time-in-bed)
Stimulus control
Sleep hygiene & relaxation, on their own
Relaxation training
Sleep hygiene, on its own
Other approaches
Mindfulness / third-wave
← smaller benefit · 1.0 = no added benefit · larger benefit →
| Ingredient | Odds ratio | 95% CI | Taught in this course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive restructuring | 1.68 | 1.28 to 2.20 | Taught as a core ingredient |
| Sleep restriction (time-in-bed) | 1.49 | 1.04 to 2.13 | Taught as a core ingredient |
| Stimulus control | 1.43 | 1.00 to 2.05 | Taught as a core ingredient |
| Mindfulness / third-wave | 1.49 | 1.10 to 2.03 | Not part of this course |
| Relaxation training | 0.81 | 0.64 to 1.02 | Not part of this course |
| Sleep hygiene, on its own | 1.01 | 0.77 to 1.32 | Taught as a foundation (not enough on its own) |
Access cost →
| Approach | Access cost | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Therapist-led CBT-I | High cost | Large |
| Self-guided CBT-I (this course) | Low cost | Large |
| Self-guided + 1:1 coaching | Mid cost | Large |
| Relaxation apps | Low cost | Small |
| Sleep-hygiene tips & apps | Free | Negligible |
Findings from published research on these approaches in general, not results measured in this course and not a promise of any personal outcome. Educational, not medical treatment.
What this course teaches, and what it leaves out
Honest about what’s in, and what isn’t
The protocol
The active behavioural ingredients. These are what the course is built around.
Full behavioural method (CBT-I)
High costA large effect on insomnia severity (Hedges g ≈ 0.98 on the ISI) as a complete method. This course teaches the behavioural core of it for self-help.
van Straten et al. 2018, Sleep Medicine Reviews (87 trials).
Sleep restriction (time-in-bed)
Low costOne of the strongest single ingredients for insomnia severity (Hedges g ≈ 0.93 vs control; added odds of remission ≈ 1.49 within the method).
Maurer et al. 2021; Furukawa et al. 2024.
Stimulus control
Low costRebuilding the bed-and-sleep link adds meaningfully to the method (added odds of remission ≈ 1.43).
Furukawa et al. 2024, JAMA Psychiatry.
Cognitive restructuring
Low costAddressing unhelpful thoughts about sleep adds the most of any single ingredient (added odds of remission ≈ 1.68).
Furukawa et al. 2024, JAMA Psychiatry.
Self-guided / online CBT-I
Low costDelivered without a therapist, the behavioural method still reduced insomnia severity by about 4 ISI points vs control.
Seyffert et al. 2016, PLoS ONE.
Sleep hygiene & relaxation
Useful as a foundation, but the research shows little independent effect on insomnia severity on their own. We keep sleep hygiene as a starting point and are honest about its limits.
Sleep hygiene, on its own
FreeLittle independent effect on insomnia severity on its own (added odds of remission ≈ 1.01, interval spans no-benefit). We teach it as a foundation, not the workout.
Furukawa et al. 2024, JAMA Psychiatry.
Relaxation training
Low costNo clear independent benefit for insomnia severity in recent component analyses (added odds of remission ≈ 0.81, interval spans no-benefit).
Furukawa et al. 2024; Steinmetz et al. 2024.
Other approaches
Approaches with smaller or less consistent evidence for insomnia severity. We leave these out.
Mindfulness / third-wave
Low costHelps sleep quality in some studies (SMD ≈ 1.0 on the PSQI sleep-quality scale), but the evidence on insomnia severity specifically is thinner.
Wang et al. 2020, Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
Paradoxical intention
Low costCan shorten how long it takes to fall asleep vs doing nothing (Hedges g ≈ 0.82 on sleep-onset latency); a small evidence base.
Jansson-Fröjmark et al. 2022, Journal of Sleep Research (10 trials).
The method as a whole
As a complete method, the effect is large
The full behavioural method (CBT-I)
Large effect
Hedges g ≈ 0.98 on insomnia severity (ISI) vs control.
van Straten A et al. (2018), Sleep Medicine Reviews 38:3-16 (87 trials).
Self-guided / online CBT-I
≈ 4-point ISI drop
Internet-delivered CBT-I reduced the Insomnia Severity Index by about 4 points vs control.
Seyffert M et al. (2016), PLoS ONE 11(2):e0149139.
Sleep restriction vs doing nothing
Large effect
Hedges g ≈ 0.93 on insomnia severity (ISI) vs control.
Maurer LF et al. (2021), Sleep Medicine Reviews 58:101493 (8 RCTs).
These whole-method figures use different measures (standardised effects and ISI points) and are not directly comparable with the per-ingredient chart above.
See where you stand first
The behavioural method isn’t right for everyone. Take the free self-check, then decide whether the course is a sensible thing to try.
Findings from published research on these approaches in general, not results measured in this course and not a promise of any personal outcome. Educational, not medical treatment.