General practitioner assessment and management of insomnia in adults

Abstract

Background: Sleep disturbance is among the most prevalent presentations in Australian general practice. Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, is associated with impaired daytime, social and occupational function, reduced quality of life and substantially increased risk of future depression. Guidelines from Australian and international general practice, sleep and medical societies strongly recommend cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. This is because CBT-i targets the underlying causes of insomnia, results in sustained improvements and commonly improves comorbid conditions such as depression and pain.

Objective: This article aims to provide an overview of evidence-based assessment, management and referral options for insomnia in Australian general practice.

Discussion: Access to brief insomnia assessment and evidenced-based treatments are becoming increasingly available to Australian general practitioners. CBT-i can be delivered through self-guided online programs or by suitably trained general practitioners and psychologists.