Free, self-paced mini course
5-Day Sleep Reset (CBT-I Lite)
A safe introduction to CBT-I principles without DIY sleep restriction.
A clear path, without pressure.
Use five focused days to understand sleep, anchor timing, reshape wakefulness habits and reduce sleep effort.
This course is designed for adults with recurring difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling trapped in a struggle with sleep. Across seven modules, you will build an understanding of the pattern, practise one skill at a time and create a plan that can survive ordinary life. You can complete it in one sitting, but spacing the modules across several days usually creates more opportunity to practise.
The material is psychology-informed education rather than therapy, diagnosis or individual medical advice. Evidence can identify promising approaches; it cannot tell us exactly what one person needs. Keep what is useful, adapt what is not and involve qualified support when the problem is persistent, severe, complex or connected with safety.
Day 1: understand the sleep system
how sleep pressure, circadian timing and arousal interact
Open module →Module 2Day 1: screen for other sleep needs
recognising signs that call for medical or specialist assessment
Open module →Module 3Day 2: anchor timing gently
choosing a realistic wake window and using morning light
Open module →Module 4Day 3: reconnect bed with sleepiness
using a gentle version of stimulus control while preserving safety
Open module →Module 5Day 4: reduce sleep effort
responding to catastrophic sleep thoughts and clock monitoring with accurate, compassionate language
Open module →Module 6Day 5: protect daytime inputs
reviewing caffeine, alcohol, naps, movement, light and wind-down timing
Open module →Module 7Review and choose next care
reading patterns without obsession and knowing when to seek formal CBT-I or medical review
Open module →Turn the course into one small plan.
Choose one idea to remember, one practice to repeat and one situation in which to use it. Then name the sign that would tell you to seek more support. A tiny plan you can recall is more useful than a long plan that disappears under pressure.
The clearest idea or skill from the course.
A small repetition you can try within 48 hours.
A person, service or professional you could involve.
Evidence and further reading
These sources informed the course framework and safety boundaries. Findings are described cautiously because study populations, interventions and outcomes vary.
- Simon et al. (2023), CBT-I delivery settings meta-analysis
- Soh et al. (2020), digital CBT-I meta-analysis
- NHS: Insomnia