Question 1

What is CBT-I?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment recommended for chronic insomnia by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the American College of Physicians, and the NIH. It has five components: sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control, sleep diary tracking, sleep efficiency monitoring, and cognitive restructuring. Unlike sleeping pills, CBT-I addresses the behavioral and cognitive patterns that perpetuate insomnia rather than masking symptoms.

Question 2

Is CBT-I the same as regular therapy?

Accepted Answer

No. CBT-I is a specific, structured protocol — not open-ended talk therapy. It's more like a medical protocol that happens to include a cognitive component. The sessions are structured, the exercises are defined, and the outcomes are measurable. It typically runs 6–8 weeks with a trained therapist. SleepShift delivers the same protocol digitally.

Question 3

How is CBT-I different from sleep hygiene advice?

Accepted Answer

Sleep hygiene is advice about habits and environment — don't use screens before bed, keep a cool room, avoid caffeine after 2 PM. Useful for people with mild or occasional sleep disruption. CBT-I is a behavioral change protocol that directly addresses the mechanisms of chronic insomnia: excessive time in bed, conditioned arousal, and catastrophic thinking about sleep. They're different in kind, not just degree.

Question 4

What's the success rate?

Accepted Answer

70–80% in peer-reviewed clinical trials for chronic insomnia. This is the most-cited figure in the CBT-I literature and covers trials across diverse populations. 'Success' typically means achieving sleep efficiency above 85% and maintaining it. CBT-I consistently outperforms sleeping pills in long-term follow-up — effects are maintained at 6-month and 12-month checkpoints.

Question 5

Who is CBT-I appropriate for?

Accepted Answer

Adults with chronic insomnia — difficulty falling or staying asleep, occurring at least 3 nights per week, for 3 or more months, causing meaningful daytime impairment, not primarily caused by another medical condition. If that's you, CBT-I is appropriate and evidence-supported.

Question 6

Who is CBT-I NOT appropriate for?

Accepted Answer

CBT-I is not appropriate as a standalone treatment if: you have untreated obstructive sleep apnea (you need that treated first), you're in active psychiatric crisis, you have a sleep disorder primarily caused by a medical condition (pain, neurological, etc.), or you're dealing with severe shift-work disorder. If you're unsure, check with your doctor before starting.

Question 7

How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

8 weeks for the core program. Daily sleep diary takes under 60 seconds each morning. Weekly check-in takes about 5 minutes. The cognitive restructuring session (Weeks 3–8) takes 10–15 minutes once per week. Total active time: under 15 minutes per day.

Question 8

How much time per day does this require?

Accepted Answer

Under 15 minutes on most days. The sleep diary is the daily commitment — it's a mobile-optimized form you complete each morning, designed to take under 60 seconds. The weekly check-in and cognitive session add about 20 minutes once a week.

Question 9

What if I miss a day of the sleep diary?

Accepted Answer

Missing a day is not catastrophic, but it affects accuracy. The weekly window adjustment algorithm uses your last 7 days of diary data. Missing entries mean incomplete data, which means less precise adjustments. The app will flag missing entries and adjust its calculations accordingly. Try not to miss more than one day in a week.

Question 10

Is the AI a therapist?

Accepted Answer

No. The AI-assisted cognitive restructuring module is a structured tool that applies a specific protocol — identifying sleep distortions and guiding reframes. It is not a therapist, does not provide general mental health support, and cannot handle complex psychiatric presentations. It's a protocol delivery tool, not a conversational AI.

Question 11

Can I do this alongside medication?

Accepted Answer

In most cases, yes — CBT-I is evidence-supported as a standalone and in combination with medication. Some sleep medications affect the sleep diary data (they may suppress some stages of sleep), but this doesn't prevent the protocol from working.

Question 12

What happens after Week 8?

Accepted Answer

You move to maintenance mode: weekly check-ins to monitor efficiency, no new protocol requirements. 3 months of maintenance is included free with your subscription. Your completed program and 8-week efficiency graph are available indefinitely. If insomnia returns, the program is available for re-entry.

Question 13

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Plans start at $0.19/day (annual, $69.99/yr) or $0.44/day (3-month, $39.99/quarter) or $0.66/day (monthly, $19.99/mo). All plans include the full 8-week CBT-I program and ongoing maintenance access while subscribed. Week 1 is a free 7-day trial — a card is required to start it, but $0 is charged for the trial week.

Question 14

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Week 1 is a free 7-day trial. You add a card so we can hold the trial, but $0 is charged. You collect 7 nights of sleep diary data to establish your baseline. At the end of Week 1 you see your real sleep efficiency numbers; on day 8 the subscription you chose begins billing unless you cancel. Cancellation is one click from account settings.

Question 15

Is SleepShift HSA/FSA eligible?

Accepted Answer

Yes. SleepShift qualifies as an HSA/FSA eligible expense under the behavioral health / mental health category. Pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout or pay out of pocket and submit the receipt for reimbursement.

Question 16

What is your refund policy?

Accepted Answer

If you're not satisfied within 14 days of your first paid charge, contact us and we'll make it right — refund or extended access, your choice. During the free 7-day trial, cancel from account settings before day 8 and you will not be charged at all. We stand behind the protocol.

Question 17

Do I need a prescription?

Accepted Answer

No. SleepShift is a structured wellness program, not a medical device. You can purchase and begin without any referral, prescription, or clinical involvement.

Question 18

Is SleepShift a medical device?

Accepted Answer

No. SleepShift is a structured wellness program based on the CBT-I protocol. It is not a medical device, does not require FDA clearance, and does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.

Question 19

Who reviewed the protocol?

Accepted Answer

The SleepShift protocol was reviewed by Dr. Candice Seti, Psy.D. — a licensed clinical psychologist and Certified Insomnia Treatment Clinician. The review covered protocol fidelity, safety contraindications, the cognitive restructuring module design, and the sleep window adjustment algorithm.

Question 20

Is my sleep data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your sleep diary data is stored in encrypted form in our database (Supabase/Postgres). It is not sold to third parties. It is processed by the OpenAI API to generate cognitive restructuring guidance — but OpenAI's API terms explicitly prohibit using API data to train their models. We do not sell your data. Full details in our Privacy Policy.

Question 21

What if I have sleep apnea?

Accepted Answer

CBT-I is not appropriate as a standalone treatment for insomnia primarily caused by untreated obstructive sleep apnea. If you have a sleep apnea diagnosis, get that treated first — then CBT-I may be appropriate for any remaining insomnia. If you suspect sleep apnea (snoring, gasping, excessive daytime sleepiness), talk to your doctor before starting any sleep protocol.

Question 22

Should I tell my doctor I'm doing this?

Accepted Answer

It's a good idea, especially if you have comorbid conditions. Most doctors will be supportive — CBT-I is the clinical standard they'd recommend anyway.

Common questions,
honest answers.

About CBT-I

About the program

Access and payment

Clinical and safety

Common questions,honest answers.

About CBT-I

About the program

Access and payment

Clinical and safety

Common questions,
honest answers.