Insomnia Disorder

Insomnia Disorder

Insomnia disorder is dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality with complaints of difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. The sleep complaints are accompanied by clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Sleep-onset insomnia (or initial insomnia) involves difficulty initiating sleep at bedtime. Sleep maintenance insomnia (or middle insomnia) involves frequent or prolonged awakenings throughout the night. Late insomnia involves early-morning awakening with an inability to return to sleep.

Features

1.     A predominant complaint of dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality

2.     The sleep disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, educational, academic, behavioral, or other important areas of functioning

3.     The sleep difficulty occurs at least 3 nights per week

4.     The sleep difficulty is present for at least 3 months

5.     Coexisting mental disorders and medical conditions do not adequately explain the pre­dominant complaint of insomnia

The diagnosis of insomnia disorder is given whether it occurs as an independent condition or is comorbid with another mental disorder (e.g., major depressive disorder), medical condition (e.g., pain), or another sleep disorder (e.g., a breathing-related sleep disorder).

Symptoms

Symptoms of insomnia can include:

• Sleepiness during the day
• General tiredness
• Irritability
• Problems with concentration or memory

Treatment 

Treatment for chronic insomnia includes first treating any underlying conditions or health problems that are causing the insomnia. If insomnia continues, your health care provider may suggest behavioral therapy. Behavioral approaches help you to change behaviors that may worsen insomnia and to learn new behaviors to promote sleep. Techniques such as relaxation exercises, sleep restriction therapy, and reconditioning may be useful. If your insomnia makes it hard for you to function during the day because you are sleepy and tired, your provider may prescribe sleeping pills for a limited time.