Sleep is one of the most vital foundations for good mental and physical health, and yet, it’s often overlooked. Many of our clients struggle with getting enough quality sleep, and poor sleep can worsen symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Despite its importance, sleep isn’t always prioritised in session, where time is limited and more pressing concerns may take priority.
This is where digital mental health (DMH) resources can play a powerful role. Whether it’s structured psychological support or simple tools to improve sleep hygiene, DMH options can give your clients the opportunity to explore evidence-based strategies at their own pace, between or outside of sessions. These tools not only reinforce the work done in therapy but can also offer practical support for clients who aren’t currently accessing face-to-face services.
In this blog, we’ve pulled together a range of trusted online programs, apps, and resources to support better sleep, whether your client is experiencing insomnia, poor sleep habits, or sleep-related anxiety. They range from full psychological interventions to symptom management tools and wellbeing resources, suitable for both adults and young people, including culturally responsive supports for First Nations clients.
Psychological Interventions
Psychological interventions are structured, evidence-based programs designed to support specific mental health concerns, such as insomnia. Often based on therapies like CBT, they offer strategies similar to those used in face-to-face sessions. These interactive resources have been evaluated for effectiveness and can be self-guided or include optional clinician support, making them a flexible option for clients to work on their mental health between or outside of sessions.
Psychological Interventions For Adults
THIS WAY UP ‘Insomnia Program’
https://thiswayup.org.au/programs/insomnia-program/
THIS WAY UP offers a number of self-guided, CBT and MBCT psychological treatment and wellbeing programs. The This Way Up Insomnia Program is a free, evidence-based online course for adults experiencing insomnia. Based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the 4-lesson program teaches practical strategies to improve sleep by addressing unhelpful thoughts, behaviours, and habits. Available as a self-help option (free for a limited time) or clinician-referred (always free).
MindSpot ‘The Sleep Course’
https://www.mindspot.org.au/treatments/sleep-course/
MindSpot offers free, online mental health screening and CBT-based psychological treatment programs with optional built-in therapist guided support for adults with various mental health concerns. The MindSpot Sleep Course is a free, evidence-based 8-week online program designed to help people improve sleep through practical, sustainable strategies. It’s suitable for adults experiencing persistent difficulties with falling or staying asleep, fatigue, or sleep-related worry. Clients can access it by completing a free online assessment via the MindSpot website.
Psychological Interventions For Young People
MOST
A free digital support service to help young people (12-25 years) going through a challenging time. It provides self-directed online journeys or modules for issues such as depression, sleep and anxiety, as well as moderated online communities and webchat access to professional support to help users get back on track.
Momentum
https://www.momentumhub.org.au/
Online screening and tailored, self-guided CBT treatment programs for young people aged 7 to 17 years. The tailored programs assist young people to manage feelings of anxiety and/or low mood, address commonly associated difficulties such as sleep problems and help-seeking, and provide tips and information on substance use for adolescents.
Symptom Management and Wellbeing Tools
These tools support the prevention and day-to-day management of mental health symptoms like stress or poor sleep. While not full treatments, they help clients build healthy habits, improve self-awareness, and complement other care. They’re ideal for low-intensity support or as a starting point before more structured interventions.
Symptom Management and Wellbeing Tools for Adults
MyCompass ‘Sleep Learning Activity’
MyCompass is a fourteen-unit, CBT-based toolkit to help adults better manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Users can choose which units they would like to complete. One of the units covers sleep offering 3 sessions on Healthy Sleep, Sleep Hygiene and Improving your sleep, which can be completed over 2 to 3 weeks.
Smiling Mind
https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
A free app and website teaching mindfulness meditation to improve mental wellbeing. Includes calming sleep soundscapes and music for kids and teens, plus a range of guided sleep meditations for adults.
MyHeLP ‘Sleeping Soundly Module’
https://myhelpprogram.com/sign-in
MyHeLP is a self-directed online healthy lifestyle program or app providing skills to make positive changes. Modules focus on the six key risk factors for chronic disease – smoking habits, drinking habits, exercise, eating well, and taking care of mood and sleep. The Sleeping Soundly Module explores sleep habits, unhelpful thoughts, and practical tips to improve sleep quality and hygiene.
Centre for Clinical Interventions ‘Sleep information and worksheets’
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself/sleep
The Centre for Clinical Interventions is a specialist public mental health service delivering treatment for adults experiencing mood, anxiety and eating disorders. They offer a range of information sheets on topics like sleep hygiene, insomnia, nightmares, and imagery rescripting, along with a practical sleep tracking workbook.
Symptom Management and Wellbeing Tools for Young People
Sleep Ninja
https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/sleep-ninja/
A free, evidence-based app to help young people aged 12 to 16 years improve their sleep. The app teaches CBT-I strategies across six training sessions to develop healthy sleep habits and improve sleep quality.
Headspace
An early intervention service supporting young Australians (12 to 25 years) with their mental health, alcohol and other drug use, and work and study. They offer information for young people on getting enough sleep and an interactive activity to boost mental health literacy, self-reflection, and encourage positive change.
First Nations
The Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) framework recognises the holistic nature of health for First Nations peoples, emphasising the interconnectedness of physical, mental, cultural, and spiritual wellbeing. Sleep is an important part of the body domain within this framework.
Dreamy
https://www.commonground.org.au/dreamy
First Nations storytellers bring the tradition of storytelling into the digital space. The free stories aim to help people with sleep difficulties quiet their minds and drift into dreams by providing listeners with a sense of calmness grounded in connection to Country.
If you are looking for more resources to use with First Nations people to help with sleep, check out Wellmob’s Sleep resource sheet for workers here.
If you think any of the resources discussed in this blog could benefit your clients, we encourage you to explore them yourself first. Research shows that when clinicians are familiar with and confident about a resource, and when referrals are tailored and clearly explained, clients are more likely to engage and benefit from them. Taking the time to understand these tools allows you to provide more personalised recommendations and support, which can improve client outcomes.
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