Scientists have created the world’s first digital prescription cure for insomnia

After gaining FDA approval for digital insomnia therapy back in March, Pear Therapeutics has finally unveiled its Somryst app, which is available by prescription only.

Somryst is essentially a six to nine week program that uses sleep restriction and cognitive behavioral therapy to treat chronic insomnia. ^[1].

To use Pear Therapeutics’ new product, users with insomnia must get an online consultation with a doctor. If the specialist deems they have a real problem, they will receive a prescription through Truepill, a pharmacy company, and can access the Somryst app.

For the first few weeks, users limit their sleep time. They also learn a curriculum with information about stimulus control and how to change thought patterns that contribute to sleep disturbance. Physicians receive patient status information through a dashboard.

Earlier Somryst clinical trials conducted by Pear Therapeutics involving more than 1,400 adults showed that completing the program helped reduce sleep time by 45%, night-wake time by 52%, and reduced overall insomnia symptoms by 45%.^[2]

The launch of the first prescription digital product to treat insomnia is very relevant today as many people have developed sleep problems amid the pandemic. For instance, in the first five months of 2020, Google saw 2.77 million searches for insomnia, a 58% increase over the same period over the previous three years.^[3]

Using the Somryst app could be an interesting option for many people who suffer from chronic insomnia or have reported worsening sleep during the pandemic.  There is only one nuance that could stop users: the price. According to the Pear Therapeutics website, Somryst is currently priced at $899.

Shutterstock/FOTODOM UKRAINE photos were used

1. 1. https://peartherapeutics.com/products/somryst/
   2. https://medcitynews.com/2020/03/pear-therapeutics-gets-fda-clearance-for-insomnia-therapeutic/?rf=1
   3. Kirsi-Marja Zitting, Heidi M. Lammers-van der Holst, Robin K. Yuan, Wei Wang, Stuart F. Quan, Jeanne F. Duffy. Google Trends reveal increases in internet searches for insomnia during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2020; DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.8810