Chronic Insomnia

The homeostasis of our bodies largely depends on a good night’s sleep and anything that disturbs this period of rest can have detrimental effects to our health. Insufficient sleep can lead to problems with cognitive function, mood disturbances, decreased energy which can further impair occupational performance and quality of life. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision, the prevalence of insomnia can be viewed in four ways; as insomnia symptoms (33%), as insomnia symptoms with day time consequences (9-15%), as dissatisfaction with sleep quality or quantity (8-18%) and as insomnia diagnosis (6%). Using the definition supported by the DSM IV, this pathology is defined as the compliant of difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, early awakening, and interrupted or non-restorative sleep. Additionally, nighttime symptoms are accompanied by clinically significant impairment in daytime function, for which no identifiable cause i.e. psychiatric disorder, medical condition is attributed by. In previous research insomnia has been classified as primary insomnia or secondary insomnia, ranging from transient (sleep problems that last days to weeks) acute or chronic (sleep problems that last months to years), varying on the frequency and duration of the symptoms. This paper will be mainly be focusing on primary chronic insomnia however there will be mention of chronic insomnia as a manifestation of another illness. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze the causes and effects of chronic insomnia as well as including some possible treatments and a further discussion of the implications of these findings.
Before discussing the causes insomnia it is important to understand how the pathology is diagnosed. To asses if an individual has insomnia, particular attention must be given to the patient’s typical sleep pattern at night and over a time frame of weeks to months. The DSM IV requires that the