A UK company has tested a digital treatment for insomnia through an online self-help program. According to a study, this method would be more effective than the usual "face to face" therapies with a therapist. However, the fact is that the study obtained convincing results on several thousand people.
According to an Inserm publication, insomnia is a complex pathology combining a psychological component and a neurobiological component that are difficult to dissociate. In other words, it is a neurobiological and psychological disorder. In addition, between 15 and 20% of French people are subject to insomnia, nearly half of them by a severe form. Generally, people seek the services of a sleep therapist. In addition, technological innovations aimed at improving sleep have appeared in recent years.
An article published by The Guardian July 30, 2020 talks about Sleepio, an amazing self-help program unpublished online. Developed by the company Big Health, this program has a duration of six weeks. According to the creators, this is a concrete alternative to the usual sessions.
The British daily refers to a study conducted under the direction of the Oxford University Health Sciences Network. The study in question concerned 7,078 volunteers suffering from insomnia. According to the results, the Sleepio program allowed these people to sleep about six extra hours per week. There is also talk of reduced anxiety and depression as well as a reduction in drug prescriptions and work absences.
“The study showed that, on average, patients using the Sleepio online treatment slept 35.3 hours per week before starting to use it, compared to an average of 41.2 hours per week after" said Tracey Marriott, Director of Clinical Innovation at Oxford University Network.
Researchers even believe that the Sleepio program is more effective than conventional therapies . The success rate of the program is 56% compared to 50% for therapies within the UK healthcare system. Moreover, 4 out of 5 participants would have recommended the program to other people. After treatment, 70% of participants reported less anxiety and 72% reported less depression. We should also mention a 56% drop in drug prescriptions by prescription and 21% of sick leave.
For project leaders, the Sleepio program has a bright future ahead of it. You should know that currently across the Channel, getting an appointment with a sleep therapist is difficult due to high demand. In addition, these consultations have a cost that some people cannot afford.
