Recommendations for a standard research assessment of insomnia

Abstract

Study objectives: To present expert consensus recommendations for a standard set of research assessments in insomnia, reporting standards for these assessments, and recommendations for future research.

Participants: N/A.

Interventions: N/A.

Methods and results: An expert panel of 25 researchers reviewed the available literature on insomnia research assessments. Preliminary recommendations were reviewed and discussed at a meeting on March 10-11, 2005. These recommendations were further refined during writing of the current paper. The resulting key recommendations for standard research assessment of insomnia disorders include definitions/diagnosis of insomnia and comorbid conditions; measures of sleep and insomnia, including qualitative insomnia measures, diary, polysomnography, and actigraphy; and measures of the waking correlates and consequences of insomnia disorders, such as fatigue, sleepiness, mood, performance, and quality of life.

Conclusions: Adoption of a standard research assessment of insomnia disorders will facilitate comparisons among different studies and advance the state of knowledge. These recommendations are not intended to be static but must be periodically revised to accommodate further developments and evidence in the field.