About Sleep Ninja
Developed by Black Dog Institute, Sleep Ninja® is a free, evidence-based smartphone app shown to be effective in helping young people with sleep problems.
Based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), across six ‘training sessions’, Sleep Ninja teaches strategies to develop healthy sleep habits and improve sleep quality.
Developed in consultation with young people and their parents, Sleep Ninja is designed for use during the day, not at bedtime.
The app:
- Educates young people about the importance and role of sleep.
- Helps them become aware of any habits contributing to poor sleep (e.g. sleep environment, daytime routine, bedtime routine).
- Teaches both behavioural and cognitive strategies to change their unhelpful sleep patterns.
The app also features:
- A sleep tracking function.
- Recommended bedtimes based on sleep guidelines
- Reminders to start a wind down routine each night.
- Clinician-guided relaxation audio to help prepare the mind and body for sleep.
- A series of sleep tips and general information about sleep.
Who Sleep Ninja for?
The app is suitable for young people aged 12-16 years who are experiencing mild to moderate sleep difficulties such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, poor sleep quality, or not getting enough sleep.
If sleep disturbance is causing significant distress or is impacting school, work or other important areas of life, it is recommended that they talk to a trusted adult or see a doctor.
Is there a cost to use Sleep Ninja?
No – Sleep Ninja is free to download and use.
How to access Sleep Ninja
Sleep Ninja is available for free download on the App store and Google Play.
Sleep Ninja Research and Evaluation
Visit this page to read about the research behind Sleep Ninja.
