Frequently asked questions

Hvil® is an app that helps you understand what affects your sleep, and gives you the tools to establish new habits, thoughts and behavior around your sleep so you can sleep better.

Hvil® stands out because it was developed by Danish researchers and a Danish IT company, and its efficacy has been tested through research to ensure the highest quality and most effective treatment for sleep problems. In addition to Professor Bobby Zachariae playing a key role in the development of Hvil®, his voice also contributes to the relaxation sound exercises that are a part of the Hvil® program.

Hvil® is available for both Android and iPhone smartphones. You can freely install Hvil® in the App Store and Google Play, and purchase a sleep program in the app, unless you have a Hvil® code.

Hvil® codes can be redeemed at: https://hvil.app/start

Hvil® is based on cognitive behavioral therapy that aim to improve sleep habits, sleep efficiency and sleep in general.

Hvil® is based on non-medical aids and consists of a combination of advice, guidance and activities aimed at providing the user with more and better sleep.

The effect of these advice and guidance therefore does not have side effects that medical treatment can cause.

Hvil® consists of tools and activities that will help you get better sleep. One of the component in a sleep program is called sleep restriction.

Sleep restriction assigns you a sleep window which typically means that you must limit your sleep for a period of time. Side effects that you may experience with sleep restriction include:

• A temporary increase in sleepiness and fatigue

• Decreased alertness and reaction time

• Reduced motivation/energy 

• Headaches

• Side effects typically subside as sleep improves.

• Side effects typically reduce as your sleep improves.

We do not recommend sleep restriction for you where the side effects may be a safety concern (e.g. fatigue/reduced alertness in long-term drivers, brain surgeons, etc.).

Similar side effects such as temporary increase in sleepiness, fatigue and decreased alertness may also occur with stimulus control.

NOTE! When we put together a sleep programme for you, we will ask you a series of questions that will help us to assess, whether sleep restriction fits in with your lifestyle.

Hvil® is designed for anyone experiencing sleep difficulties, whether it's short-term or prolonged challenges with falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking up too early, or racing thoughts.

However, the app is not intended to address sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, sleepwalking, or night terrors.

The sleep program includes daily activities to help you develop better sleep habits. If you make sure to complete all your activities every day, new activities will be introduced along the way.

Changing habits takes time and effort, and how long it takes to change varies from person to person. The length of your sleep journey depends on how your sleep progresses, which is a mix of establishing new habits, thoughts and behaviors around your sleep. We recommend at least 9 weeks to allow your new sleep habits to become ingrained.

The first time you use Hvil®, you will be helped to allow notifications/reminders on your smartphone.

If you want to check whether notifications/reminders are still correctly activated, open the Hvil® app on your smartphone and go to settings (click on the gear wheel at the top right) and select "Reminders" in the menu. Here you can check and update your settings.

For iPhone users

Many users use the "Do Not Disturb" function at bedtime to avoid the risk of waking up if a text message or notification ticks in during the night. This also means that you generally do not receive notifications/reminders from Hvil®.

To allow Hvil® to provide notifications/reminders even if your smartphone is set to "Do Not Disturb", do the following:

1. Go to Settings" > "Do Not Disturb" (Can also be called "Focus").

2. Go to "Allowed Notifications"

3. Here you add Hvil®

For Android users

1. Go to "Settings" > "Notifications".

2. Find and click Hvil and check if notifications are turned on.

Read more on Google's support site here.

Experiencing issues with reminders?

In some cases, it may be necessary to reset these permissions. Here’s how to do it:

iPhone:

1. Open “Settings” on your phone.

2. Scroll down and open “Apps” in the menu.

3. Find the “Hvil” app on the list.

4. Open “Notifications.”

5. Turn off “Allow Notifications” and then turn it back on.

6. Close Settings and open the Hvil app.

7. Go to “Home.”

8. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.

9. Select “Reminders.”

10. Turn off “Allow Reminders” and then turn it back on.

You should now start receiving reminders again.

If this doesn’t work, we would love to hear from you.

Android:

1. Open “Settings” on your phone.

2. Go to “Apps” in the menu.

3. Find the “Hvil” app on the list under “All Apps.”

4. Open “Notifications.”

5. Turn off “All Notifications.”

6. Close Settings and open the Hvil app.

7. Go to “Home.”

8. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner.

9. Select “Reminders.”

10. Turn off “Allow Reminders” and then turn it back on.

11. When the system asks if you want to allow permissions for Hvil, select “Allow.”

You should now start receiving reminders again.

If this doesn’t work, we would love to hear from you.

Hvil® is a mobile-based app. This means you can download it to your smartphone through the App Store or Google Play.

To acces the sleep program, you need to purchase it via. the app, or redeem a Hvil®-code.

You can get a Hvil®-code by:

• Requesting access through a sleep coach

• Buy a Hvil®-code here: https://hvil.app/pricing

You can redeem your Hvil®-codes here: https://hvil.app/start

To get access to Hvil®, you need to purchase a sleep program via the app or redeem a Hvil®-code.

You can get a Hvil® code through a sleep coach, your municipality/organisation, or by purchase them here: https://hvil.app/pricing

Hvil® codes are redeemable here: https://hvil.app/start

You can stop your program at any time. You can get an overview of your active programs under "Program" in the app. This is also where you can stop them. You do this by:

1. Open Hvil®

2. Click on "Program"

3. Click the "Read more" button on the active program

4. Click the red "Stop program" button at the bottom

Hvil® subscriptions are linked to your iOS/Android account. To cancel a subscription, please read the guide that matches your device, and follow the steps.

iOs / App Store guide

Android / Google Play guide

If you don’t see Cancel Subscription, the subscription should already be canceled and won't renew.

NOTE: Cancelling a subscription must be done 24 hours before the end of a subscription period.

We are committed to customer satisfaction and offer a Money Back Guarantee.

If you go through your 9-week sleep program and your sleep does not improve, we will refund you the full sleep program.

If you think you qualify for the Money Back Guarantee, please email us at info@hvil.dk. We will get back to you within 2-3 business days.

A digital sleep diary is a feature that allows you to record and monitor your sleep habits and patterns using your mobile device. You can enter information such as bedtime, wake time, sleep quality, any wake periods during the night, and any other relevant details about your sleep experience.

Hvil® includes a digital sleep diary that helps you track your sleep from day to day.

This is done through a series of daily questions that give you insights into the effect and development of your sleep. Everything is based on the entries you make.

The advantages of the Sleep Score being a self-reported questionnaire over automated methods like a smartwatch include:

1. Subjective experience: The sleep experience is highly subjective, and self-reporting captures an individual's experience of sleep quality and issues that automated devices may not detect. For example, a person may feel exhausted despite a smartwatch recording adequate sleep time.

2. Detailed information: The Sleep Score provide detailed questions about specific aspects of sleep disorders, such as frequency and severity of symptoms, daily consequences and concerns about sleep that automated devices cannot accurately quantify.

3. Contextualization of data: Self-reported questionnaires can include the context surrounding sleep problems, such as lifestyle factors, stress levels, and psychological well-being, which cannot be measured directly by automated devices.

4. Validation and reliability: The Sleep Score is a validated tool that is widely accepted in clinical practice and research. While automated devices can offer useful data, they are not yet as well validated for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

While automated methods like smartwatches can complement self-reported questionnaires by providing objective data on sleep patterns, self-reported methods like the Sleep Score provide invaluable insight into the subjective experience of sleep, which is critical for a holistic understanding and treatment of sleep disorders.

The Sleep Score is based on the Insomnia Severity Index score (ISI score), which is a questionnaire used to assess the severity of sleep problems in a person. The purpose of the Sleep Score is to provide a reliable and valid measurement of sleep quality, including:

1. Assessment: To measure the degree of one's sleep problem and assess its severity.

2. Monitoring: To follow the development of sleep problems over time, which can be useful for treatment.

3. Evaluation: To measure the effect of different treatment methods, such as therapy or medication, on sleep symptoms.

A Hvil® 'sleep program' lasts up to 9 weeks and is a collection of activities, exercises and guidance to help you improve your sleep quality and achieve better sleep habits. These sessions can include things like guidance on relaxation techniques, sleep hygiene, mindfulness exercises and routine optimization. The aim is to give you knowledge about sleep and tools to optimize your sleep and improve your overall well-being.

Changing habits takes time and effort, and how long it takes to change varies from person to person.

This is because the length of your sleep cycle is dependent on whether you complete your daily activities and how your sleep progresses. How your sleep progresses is a mix of establishing new habits, thoughts and behaviors around your sleep.

We recommend at least 9 weeks to allow your new sleep habits to become ingrained.

Hvil® contains sound exercises where we recommend that you find a place where you can concentrate and be undisturbed. Headphones can make it easier to concentrate.

Yes, Hvil® can help improve sleep problems related to menopause. Menopause can cause hormonal changes that often result in night sweats, hot flashes and frequent awakenings. Naturally, these factors can significantly affect your sleep quality.

Hvil® is based on cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which research has shown can be effective in improving sleep, also in women experiencing pre- and postmenopausal symptoms. While we don't specifically address hormonal causes of sleep problems in the app, the techniques we offer help tackle the behaviors and thought patterns that often maintain sleep problems.

This means that even if some of your awakenings are due to factors like hot flashes, Hvil® can help you improve overall sleep quality and reduce sleep disturbances by teaching you ways to fall back asleep faster after waking.

We recommend that you continue to record all your awakenings in the app, including those caused by hot flashes, to give us the best chance of helping you.

The purpose of a sleep window is to increase your sleep pressure, so that the time you spend in bed is time you spend sleeping.

Hvil® tailors the optimal sleep window for you based on your data. Your sleep window is adjusted each week so you have time to get used to it gradually.

Many people find it very challenging to keep to their sleep window - and that's perfectly normal.

The disadvantage of an adapted sleep window is that you will probably feel more tired during the day, and especially in the evening, than you usually do. This is unavoidable and is precisely one of the main points of sleep restriction. It is known that this reset can be highly effective and although the cost is sleepiness and fatigue - especially at first - persistence will pay off.

You have been given a narrow sleep window as we can see from your entries that your sleep is not very efficient. This means that you are likely to be awake for much of the time you spend in bed.

We want to emphasize that the reason you have a narrow sleep window is because it may be necessary - especially in the beginning - to limit the time you spend in bed to maximize the time you actually sleep. This is done by building up more sleep pressure, which makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. It also helps you unlearn how to be in bed without sleeping.

A narrow sleep window therefore helps increase your sleep efficiency, leading to a more coherent sleep. This will help you feel more rested in the long run and help strengthen the connection between bed and sleep.

If you maintain high sleep efficiency over several days, you'll most likely find that your sleep window will soon expand.

This is done through a series of daily questions that give you insights into the effect and development of your sleep. Everything is based on the entries you make.

You're doing great - keep it up!

Especially at the beginning of the sleep cycle, sleep restriction can make you feel more tired during the day than usual, especially in the evening.

This is completely normal! and helps you build up more sleep pressure, which helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep during the night.

There may be some side effects associated with sleep optimization, especially initially, such as increased fatigue, irritability and other negative effects. These negative effects typically diminish as sleep improves.

We strongly recommend that you follow the sleep window you have been given as much as possible, unless the side effects are deemed to endanger your safety or the safety of others (e.g. fatigue/decreased alertness in long-distance drivers, air traffic controllers, surgeons, etc.)

Your sleep window is calculated based on your sleep efficiency and your desired wake-up time. It's therefore important that you choose a time that you think is realistic for you to keep every day of the week, including weekends.

Once you have chosen a wake-up time, we first need to see how your sleep develops in line with the recommended sleep window. Therefore, for the first 7 days, you cannot change your desired wake-up time.

Once you have completed your daily activities every day for 7 days, it is possible to change your wake-up time in the "How is your sleep window progressing?" activity that appears on your front page.

The activity also evaluates how your sleep quality has evolved and whether you have followed your sleep window sufficiently.

However, we strongly recommend that you change your wake-up time as little as possible, as a regular wake-up time is important for the outcome.

Your sleep window is continuously adjusted based on your sleep efficiency and how well you follow your sleep window.

You should therefore complete your daily activities in Hvil every day for 7 days. Afterwards, your sleep is evaluated in the activity "How is it going with your sleep window?", which will appear on the "Home" page.

Based on how your sleep has progressed, you will receive either:

- A new sleep window, which can be expanded or contracted

- The same sleep window

If you haven't expanded your sleep window, it could be due to several reasons.

To extend your sleep window, you need to have met two criteria in the last 7 check-ins:

- You must have a sleep quality of 85% or above on average

- You must follow your sleep window by +/- 20 minutes on average

If you don't meet these two criteria, you will either keep your current sleep window or have your sleep window reduced.

You can track your progress against these criteria in your morning check-in or under "Progress".

The ultimate goal of working on your sleep window is not to get as much sleep as possible, but to get enough consistent, good quality sleep that leaves you feeling sufficiently rested and energized during the day.

If you sleep between the recommended 6-8 hours and have a high sleep efficiency, you have achieved your sleep goal.
Note: Depending on your personal program, achieving a Sleep score above 90% can also be a goal.

It is important to emphasize that overall sleep needs are individual. If you achieve a high sleep efficiency and feel rested and refreshed during the day after 5-6 hours of sleep, that's fine too.

That's it! You've reached your goal! What's next? You have now achieved an optimal sleep length and improved sleep quality, so it's not a demand that you continue to follow your sleep window, but we highly recommend that you stick to your new sleep routines.