CBT-i Coach app

An app designed in collaboration with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support veterans having trouble sleeping.

CBT-i Coach By US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
CBT-i app icon Features
  • Sleep tracker
  • Education and information
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy-based
  • Reminders (to change sleep habits)

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Cost Free

What does the app do?

This app is designed in collaboration with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), so it is aimed mainly at supporting veterans and military service members who are having trouble sleeping, but most of the information and recommendations are quite general, and can be helpful to anyone having sleep difficulties. The developers recommend that this app be used together with a health care provider. The app is divided into 4 main sections:

  • My Sleep: this section has questions and assessments that enable the user to get a better idea of their sleep habits and together with their health care provider, can ascertain if they have a sleep problem. After completing 5 sleep day diary entries, the user is given an individualised sleep prescription.  
  • Tools: this section has various tools to improve sleep habits. For example, users are offered suggestions on how to incorporate positive behaviours into their nighttime routine, and given a variety of relaxation techniques to help ease into sleep including audio and visual exercises to help settle the mind.    
  • Learn: provides users with information to get a better understanding of sleep and sleep problems. This section also has a basic glossary that explains the meaning of complex terms around insomnia.  
  • Reminders: this section has various reminders to encourage you to use the tools in the app and to help you keep a healthy sleep schedule. 

For a more detailed description of the app, see Google Play or iTunes and for a detailed review, see Reviews.

CBT-i app screenshots

Pros

Cons

✔  Extensive input from medical professionals
Comprehensive accurate information about sleep, sleep hygiene, stimulus control and many related topics.

✔ Many audio-visual guided tools – breathing tool, relaxation tool, mindfulness, body scan and guided imageries. Audio-visual guided breathing tool and a muscle relaxation tool.

✔ Has numerous types of reminders (e.g. worry time, wind down time, bed time, wake time etc)
Sleep diary, calculation of sleep efficiency and graphing of data.

✔ Record and track results from a validated sleep questionnaire – the insomnia severity index.

✔ The app can algorithmically set and adjust sleep/wake times based on sleep diary and questionnaire data following sleep restriction principles.

✔ If your sleep quality is too poor, it will prompt you to see a professional before allowing the app to prescribe a bedtime. You can override this by selecting that you are seeing a professional in the settings.

✘ Export data function does not appear to working - causes the app to crash.

✘ No syncing of data.

✘ User interface/design hard to use and navigate.

Privacy and security

Users log on via their email address. No personal information appears to be collected through the app. View the app privacy policy. Read more about things you can do to improve your safety and security when using apps.

Review details

Date of review: February 2017
Platform reviewed: Android
App version: 1.2
Download size: 32 MB

App developer
If you are the developer and would like to provide updated information about this app, please email the app library manager at applibrary@healthnavigator.org.nz.

Learn More

Ranked Health app review for CBT-i Coach 

Practical Apps review: Insomnia apps

Koffel E, Kuhn E, Petsoulis N, et al. A randomized controlled pilot study of CBT-I Coach: Feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact of a mobile phone application for patients in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Health Informatics J. 2016 Jun 27.

Kuhn E, Weiss BJ, Taylor KL, et al. CBT-I Coach: A Description and Clinician Perceptions of a Mobile App for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 Apr 15;12(4):597-606.

Ko PR, Kientz JA, Choe EK, et al. Consumer Sleep Technologies: A Review of the Landscape. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015 Dec 15;11(12):1455-61.

Disclaimer: Health Navigator’s app library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

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