Insomnia disorder: A review

Abstract

Sleep problems are one of the most common complaints for adults in primary care. They are associated with a decline in overall health status and perception of poor health and can have negative personal and social consequences. The term insomnia is defined in different ways and can describe a symptom and/or a disorder. It involves dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality and is associated with one or more of the following subjective complaints like difficulty with sleep initiation, difficulty maintaining sleep, or early morning waking with inability to return to sleep. In DSM- V ‘Insomnia Disorder’ is described under the heading of ‘Sleep-Wake Disorders’. It classifies insomnia under an umbrella term “insomnia disorders” where both primary and secondary insomnia are combined. In this paper the new and updated diagnostic criteria of Insomnia Disorder along with its etiology, pathophysiology and consequences will be discussed in detail.