Chronic Insomnia

Excerpt

Chronic insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder and a frequent concern during primary care visits. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition (ICSD-3), chronic insomnia is characterized by difficulty initiating sleep, maintaining sleep continuity, or experiencing poor sleep quality. These symptoms occur 3 nights or more a week for more than 3 months despite the presence of adequate opportunities for sleep, resulting in daytime dysfunction. The diagnosis of chronic insomnia is primarily based on self-reported symptoms.

Chronic insomnia can adversely affect health, quality of life, and academic performance, while also increasing the risk of motor vehicle accidents, decreasing productivity at work, causing irritability, and increasing daytime sleepiness. Numerous comorbidities are associated with chronic insomnia, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, hypertension, chronic pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, benign prostatic hyperplasia, obstructive sleep apnea, vasomotor symptoms, and substance use disorders.