The subjective
perception of difficulty in sleep initiation, duration, consolidation,
or quality of sleep, occurring despite adequate opportunities for sleep, and resulting in daytime dysfunction
The
most prevalent sleep disorder in the general population, therefore, it
is an important public health problem that needs accurate diagnosis and effective treatment
Approximately 10% of adults have insomnia
30-50% of the population is affected by occasional, short-term insomnia
The prevalence of chronic insomnia disorder is estimated to be at least 5-10% in industrialized nations
More common in females and older adults
Risk Factors
Increasing age
Elderly individuals must be assessed for insomnia as they report more forms of sleeping difficulty including lower rates of sleep efficiency, longer sleep onset times, increased number of nighttime awakenings, more time in bed, earlier wake up times and more daytime naps
Female gender
Medical and psychiatric disease (eg depression, mood disorders)
