Sleep Matters

We’re excited to kick off our August GoodNight Insomnia program with Reon ready to welcome this month’s group.

Written by Dr Melissa Ree, our GoodNight Insomnia has been running for more than a decade, and over that time we’ve worked with hundreds of people who have struggled with persistent insomnia.

What makes us especially proud of the program is that we’ve also evaluated how it performs in our own clinical setting. Our published outcomes show substantial improvements in insomnia symptoms, alongside improvements in quality of life, mood, and how confident people feel about managing their sleep.

For many of our clients, one of the most important shifts is moving from feeling that sleep is unpredictable, fragile or out of control. During the program, clients gain an understanding of what supports healthy sleep and leave feeling more confident in their ability to respond when sleep is difficult.

Over the next four sessions, Reon will guide the group through the evidence-based principles of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions, troubleshoot difficulties and put the strategies into practice.

Wishing our August group a great first session!

Insomnia is treatable, and the evidence for effective treatment continues to grow.

A new Australian position statement on the management of adult insomnia has just been published, bringing together the latest evidence and recommendations for insomnia care.

One key recommendation remains clear: multi-component Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia.

CBT-I is now supported by hundreds of randomised controlled trials and more than 40 meta-analyses, with evidence showing improvements not only in insomnia symptoms, but also in daytime functioning, quality of life and mental health.
Yet access remains limited, with the statement estimating that only around 1% of Australian adults with insomnia currently access CBT-I.

Persistent insomnia deserves proper assessment and evidence-based treatment. It’s about much more than simply being told to improve your “sleep hygiene”.

The growing recognition of insomnia — and the treatments that work — is progress worth celebrating. 🌙

Sweetman A, et al. (2026). Management of adult insomnia in Australia: A joint position statement of the Australasian Sleep Association, Sleep Health Foundation, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian Psychological Society, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, and Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association. Sleep Advances.

Everyone has a preferred side of the bed... until a pet has other plans. 🐶💙

Just for fun, tell us where you usually sleep:

⬅️ A Left side
➡️ B Right side
⭐ C Middle (starfish mode)
🐶 D Wherever the dog allows

Drop your answer in the comments—we're curious to see which one is most common! 👇

Please join us in welcoming Molly Harris to the Sleep Matters team. 💙

Molly is a Clinical Psychologist (Registrar) who works with children (aged 8+), adolescents, and adults. She is passionate about creating a safe, supportive, and authentic space where clients feel heard, understood, and comfortable being themselves.

At Sleep Matters, Molly supports people experiencing a range of sleep concerns, including insomnia, difficulties with sleep related to anxiety or stress, and other challenges affecting sleep and wellbeing. She brings experience from community mental health, education, and veteran services, along with a thoughtful, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to care.

We're so excited to have Molly join the Sleep Matters team and know she'll make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people she works with.

Welcome, Molly! 💙

Our Sleep Matters and J&R Psychology team day was a beautiful mix of learning, reflection, creativity, and connection.

We were fortunate to learn from the fabulous Gayle Maloney, whose wisdom and warmth helped us think deeply about clinical care, including new techniques in OCD management and how we show up for clients in moments of distress, uncertainty, and change.

Across the day, there were thoughtful conversations, plenty of laughs, creative moments, and time to pause and reflect on what makes our care distinctive.

A key focus was how we continue to provide exceptional care that intertwines deep humanity with clinical science. Care that is evidence-based, careful, and thoughtful, while also being warm, individualised, and responsive to the person in front of us.

We left feeling grateful for this team, and committed to continuing to protect the quality, compassion, and clinical depth at the heart of our work.

Last week, we celebrated a very special milestone: Kate's 5-year anniversary with Sleep Matters. 💙

For the past five years, Kate has been an invaluable part of our team, bringing compassion, professionalism, and genuine care to every client she works with. Her thoughtful approach and dedication to helping people improve their sleep and wellbeing make a lasting difference, and we're so grateful to have her as part of the Sleep Matters family.

Thank you, Kate, for everything you've contributed over the past five years. We appreciate all that you do and look forward to celebrating many more milestones together.

Happy 5-year anniversary, Kate! 🎉

It might seem like the best thing to do when you can't sleep is to stay in bed and "rest."

But spending long periods awake in bed can make it harder for your brain to associate your bed with sleep.

If you've been awake for a while and don't feel like you're drifting back to sleep, it can be helpful to get out of bed and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel sleepy again.

This is one of the key principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia.