An insomnia app improved sleep outcomes in older adults
Older adults using Smart Sleep had better insomnia and other sleep-related outcomes than a control group. Quality of life showed no statistically significant difference, and improvement sizes were not reported.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Among older adults in this trial, app-delivered therapy improved insomnia severity, sleep quality, sleep efficiency and unhelpful beliefs about sleep compared with the control group. Quality of life did not show a statistically significant difference. The abstract does not give the size of the sleep improvements, leaving their practical importance difficult to judge.
The abstract does not describe what the control group received or provide effect sizes for the improved outcomes. It reports no follow-up after the program, so the persistence of improvements remains unclear.
What the app delivered
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia addresses sleep-related thoughts and behaviors. Smart Sleep delivered this therapy remotely through sleep diaries, relaxation exercises and live consultations, so the tested intervention included both app activities and contact with staff.
Different outcomes gave different answers
Sleep efficiency describes how much of the time set aside for sleep is spent asleep. It improved alongside other sleep measures. The nonsignificant quality-of-life result leaves uncertainty about that broader outcome rather than establishing equivalent experiences.
The original publication
Effectiveness of Information and Communication Technology-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Using the Smart Sleep App on Insomnia in Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.
Kim C, Lee Y, Kang SG et al.
J Med Internet Res · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40561473
- Record checked
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