SleepEasy Program to Reduce and Eliminate the Need for Sleep Medication—Gently, Without Withdrawal
The SleepEasy method helps you gradually reduce—and often eliminate—sleep medication without withdrawal. While the goal is to sleep medication-free, it's important to recognize that using medication is much better than not sleeping at all.
Getting Started
This week, you'll continue with your current dosage. You're not reducing your medication yet. Your only task right now is to read through the steps and get familiar with the process. Even though several steps are outlined, you'll take just one simple step at a time when you actually begin.
Talk With Your Doctor
Always consult your doctor or nurse practitioner. Email them this page so they understand the SleepEasy method medication reduction program when you discuss it at your next appointment.
The SleepEasy Approach
Begin by using the SleepEasy method alongside your sleep medication. Each night, you'll either listen to the SleepEasy recordings or use elements of the process on your own at bedtime. These simple yet powerful techniques retrain your body and mind to fall asleep more easily, naturally, and consistently.
As you continue using both your medication and the method, you’ll likely notice yourself falling asleep more quickly and easily than you did with medication alone. This is a sign that your body's ability to regulate your natural sleep patterns is beginning to strengthen—you’re not just being sedated; your body is learning how to sleep better.
Most withdrawal symptoms happen when medication is taken away too abruptly. The SleepEasy method takes a different approach—by first building and deepening your ability to sleep, the need for medication naturally falls away.
Don’t rush to reduce your medication based on willpower alone. Instead, continue using both the SleepEasy method and your current medication until you are sleeping well with that combination. This gives your body time to stabilize, builds confidence in your ability to sleep, and helps calm your nervous system.
If you're going through a particularly stressful period, it’s helpful to continue your current medication dosage until life settles down.
When you do feel ready to begin reducing your medication, choose a night when you don’t have any early obligations the next day, giving yourself plenty of space to rest and adapt.
Gradual Reduction is Key
Most programs reduce medication in large chunks—often around 25% at a time—which can be too much for the body to handle.
The SleepEasy method is different: you reduce your medication by only 2% per night. This tiny, gradual adjustment keeps the process smooth, gentle, and free of withdrawal symptoms. The full taper typically takes about two months. While reaching the point of sleeping well without any medication will feel incredibly rewarding, you don’t have to wait until then to feel good. Simply being in the process of gradually reducing your medication will feel encouraging and empowering right from the start.
If your medication is in pill form, you’ll need to crush it to make precise reductions (instructions below). If you are taking a time-release version, ask your doctor to prescribe a non-time-release formulation instead.
To help your doctor fully understand the SleepEasy approach, you can email them the URL of this page.
What You’ll need
How to Begin
Follow these instructions once you have your scale and pill crusher with you.
Step 1: Use The Calculator
Calculator below.
The report has 100 rows, corresponding to percentages going from 100% of medication, gradually down to 0.
Copy this report or download it as a .csv file.
2: Prepare Your Medication
3: Weigh Your Nightly Dose
These steps will be easy to understand after you have your scale, are reading the instructions and actually carrying them out
Tip: Close enough is good enough!
4: Take Your Dose
Reduction Plan
For your first reduction phase from 100% to 40%, reduce 2% per night. That is such a small amount, your body won't even notice that reduction.
Write down what reduction you are using that night, so the next night you know what next reduction to go to.
For your second phase from 40% to 0%, reduce 1% per night.
With that, the complete process will involve about two months total.
While reaching the point of sleeping well without any medication will feel incredibly rewarding, you don’t have to wait until then to feel good. Simply being in the process of gradually reducing your medication will feel encouraging and empowering right from the start.
If you have a challenging night, temporarily return to a higher dose and stabilize before continuing to reduce.
Although that slows your progress, this "safety net" of being able to temporarily return to full dose will give you comfort and assurance, and that comfort will help you progress.
SleepEasy and Medication Together
Each night, take your medication, then get into bed right away and begin the SleepEasy recording or use any elements of the method on your own. Using the SleepEasy process right away helps you fall asleep more quickly than with medication alone—evidence on how your natural sleep ability is strengthening.
Some resources suggest that certain natural sleep supplements may be safely used alongside a gradual medication reduction. However, we advise you to research this yourself and consult with your physician to make an informed decision.
For information about the most effective supplement we recommend, listen to the session titled Sleep Supplements in the Resources section in your SleepEasy app. Then for a link to purchase the supplements go to https://www.sleepeasymethod.com/resources and scroll down to “Natural Sleep Supplements.”
If you plan to use a supplement, it's a good idea to order it now so it’s available when you need it during the reduction process.
Next Steps and Congratulations
When you're ready to begin reducing your medication, return to this page and follow each step carefully—one small step at a time. There’s no need to rush; a steady, gentle approach will set you up for lasting success.
Congratulations on reaching this point in your journey. By building your natural sleep ability and gradually reducing your reliance on medication, you are reclaiming one of your body's most vital, powerful resources–good sleep.
This process isn’t just about the ability to sleep better—it’s about restoring your confidence, resilience, and well-being across every area of your life. The progress you’re making now will stay with you for a lifetime.