# Insomnia Coach — Help improve your sleep.

> CBT-i based app for insomnia, offering guided training, sleep diary, and tools. (iPhone/iPad app by US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insomnia-coach/id1341944736 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.80/5 from 73 App Store ratings · 48 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 35 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2018-02-06
- Data updated: 2026-08-20
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insomnia-coach/id1341944736/reviews.md

## What is Insomnia Coach?

Insomnia Coach is designed for Veterans, military Servicemembers, and others who are suffering from insomnia. The app is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) and provides:

* a guided, weekly training plan to help you track and improve your sleep
* a sleep coach with personal feedback about your sleep and fun sleep tips
* an interactive sleep diary to help you keep track of daily changes in your sleep
* 17 tools to help you get your sleep back on track

This app is based on scientific research about how people can change their behaviors and thoughts to improve their sleep. This app does NOT replace professional care.

Insomnia Coach is designed to be used daily for 5 weeks by following the Training Plan. After that, you can continue using the app to track your sleep and maintain good sleep habits.  

Insomnia Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD.

## Key features

- Guided weekly training plan
- Personalized sleep coach feedback
- Interactive sleep diary
- 17 sleep improvement tools
- Scientifically-based approach

## Recent user reviews (10 of 48)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insomnia-coach/id1341944736/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Doesn’t account for shift work

*2025-11-13, version 1.3.4*

I sleep at 3pm and wake up at 9pm but it says “error” when trying to input that information; this app doesn’t account for irregular sleep hours which is kind of counter productive and renders the app useless.

### 1/5 — Lots of struggling to stay awake. Nothing to improve and lengthen nightly sleep.

*2025-10-18, version 1.3.4*

Spent 6 weeks struggling to stay up until 11pm and then waking up at 4:30am. Expected to start weaning off only 5.5 hours of sleep and start going to bed earlier. Instead I got “Congratulations you have finished.” That’s it. Nothing more.

### 1/5 — This needs to be better.

*2025-09-14, version 1.3.4*

Like put in actual sensible writing.

I literally have to write my issues in the comments. Because according to the app going to bed at 10pm not being able to sleep till like 4am conflicts in their app.

Also I don’t care about the sleeping habits of bats. I care about actually getting quality sleep.

### 5/5 — Helpful

*2025-02-10, version 1.3.3*

Easy to use, helpful explanations about why following the recommended actions can sharpen awareness and foster better choices for improving sleep habits.

### 2/5 — Unable to change entries if an error was made

*2025-02-10, version 1.3.3*

Unhappy no contact with app support.

### 4/5 — One trick pony

*2025-01-22*

This app is helpful to a modest degree, but the emphasis is all on keeping bedtime and wake time consistent. If you’ve got that down and your problem is waking up in the night, then this app will not help you (other than to remind you ad nauseam to get up if you’ve been lying in bed awake more than 15 minutes). There are no tips here for how to avoid waking up and lying awake in the night. For me the advice that I should power through for days on end with inadequate sleep (no naps!) flies in the face of the science.

### 3/5 — Made my insomnia worse

*2024-12-26*

It’s interesting that the purveyors of CBTI (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) give themselves outstanding grades as to their rates of success, but in this app, after one night reporting four and a half hours of sleep, their advice was to “see a professional.”  So my sleep problem is great that you’re giving up on me?

At first I thought all that mindfulness and record keeping was helpful, but it soon turned into making me MORE nervous about bedtime and the prospect of not sleeping.  At one point the app suggested I go to bed at 1:30, as if by making myself so resoundingly exhausted, I’d immediately sleep.  No, it just meant that my sleep would begin, maybe, at 2:00 or later.
 
A big aspect of CBTI is to train your brain that your bed is only for sleeping (or sex, ha) so after 15 minutes of trying, you’re supposed to get up and do something else.  Some nights I’d leave my warm bed and wander around the cool house two or three times, each time eating up about an hour of potential sleep time.  I finally decided that if I was not going to sleep, I’d be better off staying in a comfortable place, at least resting, perhaps meditating.

As a fellow sufferer, I don’t want to discourage anybody from seeking help with their insomnia.  CBTI might work for you.  It’s worth a try, and if you’re to do so, this app is probably as good as you’ll get.  It’s designed by the Department of Veteran Affairs (or at least it has some veteran connection). It’s user-friendly.  And, as I said, at first it helped.  I just want to share that if it makes you feel you have to “perform” or else, you have my permission to relax, take half an Ambien (without feeling guilty), and go back to bed.

### 4/5 — Too much

*2024-12-20, version 1.3.3*

Way too detailed for me to answer. Trying to comply, I fear, would only make my sleep worse by hyperfocusing on it. But I can see the value for others. Thanks for creating a helpful tool.

### 5/5 — Excellent App! 5 Stars

*2024-10-29, version 1.3*

Thank you, Dept of Veteran Affairs. Insomnia Coach is very helpful, and one of the best apps on my phone. With diligent use, the CBT-i exercises and procedures are very effective. I’m learning to sleep  better without fear.

### 5/5 — Fantastic Free Tool

*2024-10-19*

This has been a life changing app for me. The first 2 weeks are not easy, but the long term payoffs are huge. I’ve been sleeping pill free for a year now and maybe 95% of the time sleeping through the night and waking up feeling refreshed.

## Frequently asked questions about Insomnia Coach

### What is Insomnia Coach?

Insomnia Coach is an application designed to help individuals suffering from insomnia improve their sleep. It utilizes principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) to provide a structured approach to sleep improvement. The app offers a guided training plan, a sleep diary, and various tools to help users track and modify their sleep behaviors and thoughts.

### How does Insomnia Coach work?

The app guides users through a 5-week training plan based on CBT-i principles. It includes an interactive sleep diary to monitor daily sleep patterns and provides a sleep coach with personalized feedback and tips. Users also have access to 17 tools designed to help them get their sleep back on track by addressing behavioral and cognitive aspects of insomnia.

### Is Insomnia Coach free to use?

Yes, Insomnia Coach is a free application. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, making it accessible for all users. The app was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD.

### Who is Insomnia Coach for?

This app is specifically designed for Veterans, military servicemembers, and anyone else struggling with insomnia. It is intended for individuals who want to actively work on improving their sleep through evidence-based techniques and self-monitoring.

### Can Insomnia Coach replace professional medical care?

No, Insomnia Coach is a tool to aid in sleep improvement and does not replace professional medical care. While it is based on scientific research and CBT-i principles, it is recommended to consult with a healthcare professional for any persistent or severe sleep issues.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.3.4 — 2025-06-11

bug fixes and performance improvements

### 1.3.3 — 2024-11-20

bug fixes and performance improvements

### 1.3 — 2024-09-04

* Export User Data now exports an XLSX file in CBT-i Coach 3 format.
* Import User Data is now available to import a Insomnia Coach or CBT-i Coach 3 sleep diary XLSX file. Imported sleep diaries do NOT advance the training plan.
* bug fixes and performance improvements

### 1.2.2 — 2024-02-04

* fixed a bug with audio playback on Bluetooth devices

### 1.2.1 — 2022-08-10

* bug fixes and performance enhancements

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## More apps by US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

- [PTSD Coach](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ptsd-coach/id430646302)
- [PFA Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pfa-mobile/id551079424)
- [CBT-i Coach](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbt-i-coach/id655918660)
- [Concussion Coach](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concussion-coach/id713590872)
- [ACT Coach](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/act-coach/id804247934)
- [Mindfulness Coach](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindfulness-coach/id804284729)

All apps by US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-20.*