When Lesley Rink, a new mom, began struggling with insomnia that persisted several months after the birth of her daughter, she knew she was in need of help. When she found herself unable to access in-person cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), she was able to find healing and restored sleep through Sleepio.
Q1: When did you begin experiencing sleep issues?
A1 | Lesley: I never had any issues with sleep until recently. I’m about 9 months postpartum now – my little girl was born in June 2021. Since then, I’ve been struggling with very broken sleep. I’m sure it could have been a mix of hormones and being up throughout the night with my baby, but these issues persisted and in August I started waking up at odd hours of the night (unrelated to when my baby was up). When it wasn’t getting any better, I realized I needed help because I was seriously sleep deprived and it was starting to impact other aspects of my life as a result.
Q2: How did you find out about Sleepio?
A2 | Lesley: I initially tried CBT-I at a local practice near me, but timing and the fit with the provider didn’t feel right, so I decided to pause. I’m a nurse working towards my PhD, so I became very interested in looking into the research behind insomnia and treatment methods, and actually found Sleepio through a scientific paper. When I saw the results, I knew I wanted to give it a shot – so I started the program in February 2022.
Q3: How was your experience using Sleepio?
A3 | Lesley: I’ve already done a lot with sleep hygiene in attempts to improve my sleep, but the background education and tips in the first few sessions of Sleepio were a plus. I feel the biggest benefit of the Sleepio program is cognitive behavioral techniques such as asking what your thoughts are around sleep and helping you to reframe your mindset. After not sleeping for so long I got into mind traps and worried about my sleep habits, so it was helpful to recognize and reshape those. I also feel that constricting my sleep schedule has been a huge help. The whole program was incredibly informative, straightforward, and easy to absorb.
Q4: How are you sleeping now?
A4 | Lesley: My sleep has tremendously improved. I used to wake up several times through the night and had very broken sleep (I’d get 2-3 hours here and there), but now it is consolidated and I generally get at least 6 hours of sleep each night. I’m still working to get more hours and improve my sleep quality, but the changes I have seen in the short period of time since starting Sleepio have been remarkable.
Q5: How has your improved sleep impacted your day-to-day life?
A5 | Lesley: Improved sleep has made all the difference for me. I’m able to be more fully present throughout the day with much improved physical and mental health. These improvements have helped me tremendously as a wife, new mom, and graduate student. I’m truly so grateful for Sleepio and the quality of life it restored for me when I felt like nothing else was working.
Sleepio is a digital therapeutic for insomnia that is clinically proven to help you clear your mind, improve your sleep, and have better days. Sleepio takes your unique needs and builds you a personalized six-week program, with sessions that guide you step by step through evidence-based methods.
Sleepio has been rigorously studied for safety and efficacy just like any sleep medication a doctor would prescribe. In 12 randomized controlled trials with over 13,000 participants, Sleepio was proven to help participants fall asleep faster, spend less time awake at night, and have better daytime functioning the next day.
Disclaimer: Sleepio is available as an adjunct to usual medical care for insomnia disorder for adults ages 18 and older, without FDA review under their COVID-19 policy.
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