From the Guidelines
Neurological Symptoms of Chronic Insomnia
Chronic insomnia is associated with fatigue, poor cognitive function, and mood disturbance 1.
- The disorder can cause significant distress or impairment in daily activities, affecting personal functioning and overall well-being.
- Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep and early-morning waking with inability to return to sleep are common symptoms of chronic insomnia 1.
- Older adults with chronic insomnia are more likely to experience difficulty maintaining sleep, whereas younger adults tend to have difficulty initiating sleep 1.
- The symptoms of chronic insomnia can have a substantial impact on an individual's quality of life, leading to distress or interference with personal functioning 1.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a recommended treatment for chronic insomnia, aiming to improve sleep and alleviate associated distress or dysfunction 1.
From the Research
Neurological Symptoms of Chronic Insomnia
The neurological symptoms of chronic insomnia can be complex and varied. Some of the key symptoms include:
- Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep 2, 3
- Early morning awakening 2, 4
- Poor subjective sleep quality 2
- Daytime dysfunction, including fatigue, attention deficits, and mood instability 2, 4
- Hyperarousal, which can be a final common pathway of the pathophysiology of chronic insomnia 4
Underlying Causes
Chronic insomnia can be a symptom of many medical, neurological, and mental disorders, including:
- Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and dementia 2, 5
- Inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis 2
- Traumatic brain injury 2, 5
- Stroke 2, 5
- Epilepsies 2
- Neuromuscular disease 2
Treatment Options
Treatment options for chronic insomnia include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) 2, 6, 5, 3
- Pharmacologic treatments, such as benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine-receptor agonists, and sedating antidepressants 2, 6, 5, 4
- Melatonin and light therapy 2, 5
- Transcranial magnetic or electrical brain stimulation (under investigation) 4
- Novel methods to deliver psychological interventions (under investigation) 4