Last updated: October 2026
Sleepio is a six-week online course of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), made by Big Health. NICE recommends it as a cost-saving option for insomnia for people who would otherwise be offered sleep hygiene advice or sleeping pills. When we checked in October 2026, it was free for adults in Scotland and some parts of England.
Below: who gets it free, what the six weeks involve, what the trials found and how it differs from apps like Calm.
What is Sleepio?
Sleepio is a self-help course built on CBT-I, the treatment NICE advises GPs to offer first for long-term insomnia. It runs on a website and an iPhone or Android app, and Big Health calls it a digital therapeutic: software tested in trials like a treatment.
| Sleepio at a glance | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Made by | Big Health |
| Course | 6 weekly sessions, about 10 minutes each |
| Access | 12 months from sign-up |
| Age | Adults 18 and over |
| NICE guidance | HTG624 (first published as MTG70, May 2022) |
| Cost to you | Free where the NHS funds it |
Evopure isn’t connected with Big Health or Sleepio. Details from NICE, NHS and Big Health pages, checked October 2026.
Is Sleepio free on the NHS?
It depends where you live:
- Scotland: free for adults across the country.
- England: only in areas whose NHS pays for it. Big Health says it was briefly available across England, then from August 2024 only in Frimley and in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West. Its site still says “some parts of England”.
- Wales and Northern Ireland: not listed as free areas.
How to sign up: go to sleepio.com/nhs and choose your country. In England you sign in with your NHS login and enter your postcode, which checks whether your area is covered. No GP referral or prescription is needed.
Cost: Big Health says patients are never charged. NICE’s evaluation used a price of £45 (plus VAT) per person, paid by the NHS. We found no way to pay for it yourself on Big Health’s UK site. If your area isn’t covered, ask your GP what CBT-I is available locally.
Where a calm evening routine fits
Sleepio works on the habits and thoughts that keep insomnia going. Supplements aren’t a treatment for insomnia; if poor sleep lasts, see your GP. Some people also like a settled wind-down, such as a warm drink at the same time each night. Big Health suggests not making several changes at once during the course, so add one thing at a time.
- Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex: a berry drink powder with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg magnesium per serving), glycine, L-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, hops and oat straw. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. See magnesium for sleep.
- Sleep CBD Oil: broad spectrum CBD with 0% THC, passion flower extract and a night-time terpene blend in MCT oil. CBD isn’t a treatment for insomnia. See CBD oil for sleep.
- Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex: a reishi hot chocolate with organic cacao and maca. Cacao means it contains a little natural caffeine, so have it earlier in the evening.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
All Evopure products are for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
How Sleepio works
You start with a short sleep test, then one session unlocks each week. NHS Grampian says the sessions are led by an animated sleep expert, The Prof. Each morning you fill in a sleep diary, which the programme uses to tailor the next step.
The techniques are standard CBT-I:
- Sleep restriction: matching time in bed to the sleep you actually get, with a fixed getting-up time, then widening it as sleep improves. Our sleep calculator helps you plan around a wake time.
- Stimulus control: rebuilding the link between bed and sleep by not lying awake in bed for long.
- Thoughts about sleep: answering worries like “I won’t cope tomorrow” differently. See how to stop overthinking.
- Unwinding: relaxation methods such as progressive muscle relaxation and 4-7-8 breathing.
How long does it take? At least six weeks. Big Health says the first weeks can feel harder and more tiring, so take extra care driving. Many people notice changes, such as less time awake in bed, in weeks 2 to 4.
What the evidence says
NICE’s assessors found 12 randomised trials giving good quality evidence that Sleepio reduces insomnia symptoms. Three UK trials:
- Espie, 2012 (164 adults): sleep efficiency (time asleep as a share of time in bed) rose 20 percentage points with Sleepio, against 6 with a placebo course or usual care.
- OASIS, 2017 (3,755 students): Sleepio cut insomnia scores by a large amount at 10 weeks, with small falls in paranoia and hallucinations.
- Espie, 2019 (1,711 adults): compared with sleep hygiene education, Sleepio brought a large improvement in sleep-related quality of life and small gains in wellbeing.
The caveats: several authors, including Colin Espie, co-founded or work with Big Health, and drop-out was high in some trials. NICE found no direct comparison with face-to-face CBT-I.
Sleepio vs Calm, Headspace and other sleep apps
| Sleepio | Meditation and sleep-sound apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | A structured CBT-I course | Meditations, stories, sounds |
| NICE guidance | Yes, for insomnia | Not covered by the Sleepio guidance |
| Best for | Insomnia lasting weeks or months | Winding down at bedtime |
They can sit side by side. Good sleep habits, a bedtime wind-down and tips for falling asleep fast help any night; CBT-I targets the pattern behind insomnia, including waking in the night. For weighted blankets, herbs and more, see natural sleep aids.
Who should check with a GP first
NICE says people at higher risk of other sleep disorders, such as during pregnancy or with other health conditions, should have a medical assessment before Sleepio. See a GP if you snore loudly or stop breathing in your sleep, feel very sleepy by day, or poor sleep has lasted months. GPs now rarely prescribe sleeping pills, and melatonin is prescription-only in the UK.
FAQs
Is Sleepio free in England?
Only in some areas. In October 2026 Big Health listed it as free in Scotland and some parts of England, such as Frimley and Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West. Check your postcode at sleepio.com/nhs.
How long does Sleepio take to work?
At least six weeks, one session a week. Big Health says the first weeks can feel harder, with changes often showing in weeks 2 to 4. Access lasts 12 months.
Is Sleepio on prescription?
No. Where the NHS funds it, you can sign up yourself without a GP referral or prescription. GPs can also suggest it, and NICE recommends it for insomnia in primary care.
Is Sleepio better than Calm or Headspace?
They do different jobs. Sleepio is a structured CBT-I course that NICE recommends for insomnia. Calm and Headspace are meditation and relaxation apps for winding down.
Can I use Sleepio with sleeping pills?
Yes. Big Health says you don’t need to stop sleeping medication to start Sleepio. Don’t stop or change prescribed medication without speaking to the doctor or pharmacist who prescribed it.
Sources
- NICE. Sleepio to treat insomnia and insomnia symptoms (HTG624, formerly MTG70) (May 2022).
- NICE CKS. Insomnia: managing insomnia (revised June 2026).
- NHS. Insomnia; NHS inform, Insomnia.
- Big Health. Sleepio availability in England (2024), What to expect and FAQs (checked October 2026).
- Trials: Espie 2012, Sleep (PMID 22654196); Freeman 2017, Lancet Psychiatry (PMID 28888927); Espie 2019, JAMA Psychiatry (PMID 30264137).
General information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex, Sleep CBD Oil and Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex, and is not connected with Big Health or Sleepio.
