Sleep difficulties are more than an inconvenience. Around one in three Australian adults report struggling to fall or stay asleep several times a week, and nearly half say they feel tired during the day. While occasional sleep issues are common, ongoing sleep disruption can really affect all aspects of our lives. 

Recognising the deep connection between sleep, mental health, and everyday functioning, the Sleep Course offers structured psychological strategies to improve sleep, restore wellbeing, and help people feel more like themselves again. 

"Research from around the world tells us that healthy sleep is critical to our mental health. The good news is that most people can improve their sleep – but like any other habit, we have to adjust our routines, and this takes a bit of time. Our Sleep Course is designed to help people do exactly that." says MindSpot's Executor Director, Professor Nick Titov.

Why sleep deserves serious attention 

Sleep is not just a basic need, it’s a powerful predictor of mental health. When sleep is disrupted for weeks or months, it can really affect how we think, cope, and connect - making everything harder emotionally, physically and mentally. 

Many people don’t realise that persistent sleep difficulties can be quite complex and take time to address. Poor sleep can become deeply embedded in thought patterns, behaviours, and emotional responses that reinforce cycles of poor sleep.  

That’s why MindSpot’s Sleep Course takes a comprehensive approach, one that empowers people to understand the factors that drive poor sleep and many sleep difficulties. 

“Most people don’t know how helpful psychological interventions can be for significant sleep difficulties like insomnia. But there’s now lots of research and it shows many people really benefit from some key sleep information, a couple of core sleep skills, and some brief expert support. MindSpot’s Sleep Course provides all this in a really accessible way for people across the country ,” Professor Blake Dear, Director of eCentreClinic. 

About the Sleep Course 

The MindSpot Sleep Course is designed for adults experiencing persistent sleep problems, which are impacting their day-to-day life or their emotional wellbeing or both. It brings together proven psychological strategies into a guided, practical format.  

Delivered over eight weeks, the course helps you: 

• Understand how sleep works, and what disrupts it 
• Identify unhelpful thoughts and reduce sleep-related anxiety 
• Develop effective and sustainable sleep routines 
• Improve daytime energy, focus, and emotional resilience 

The program includes four structured lessons, real-world examples, DIY exercises, and weekly check-ins with trained mental health professionals.  

“People often arrive at this course after trying everything - supplements, devices, new mattresses, medications - while their lives have grown smaller,” says Dr Amelia Scott, Clinical Psychologist at MindSpot and Lead Course Developer for the Sleep Course. “And yet, many have never come across cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, despite it being one of the most effective and well-researched treatments available. I hope this course helps people access that support earlier, before years of frustration, and gives them the chance to reclaim their lives and focus on being awake.”

Enrol in the MindSpot Sleep Course 

MindSpot invites anyone experiencing persistent sleep difficulties to consider enrolling in the Sleep Course. Whether you’ve been stuck in a pattern of disrupted sleep for months or years, the course offers a structured, science-backed way forward. 

The course is open to all Australian adults and entirely free to access. Participants begin by completing a brief psychological assessment and speaking with a therapist to ensure the course is right for their needs. 

The launch of the Sleep Course marks another milestone in MindSpot’s commitment to accessible, evidence-based care. We’re proud to deliver support that is clinically sound, easy to access, and designed to create meaningful, long-term change. 

For more information about the Sleep Course visit https://www.mindspot.org.au/treatments/sleep-course/