Sleep is a necessary component for life, and a patient’s health is directly affected by the amount and quality of sleep. Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder in the general population. According to the American Academy of Sleep Disorders, insomnia is the subjective perception of difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation, or quality that occurs despite adequate opportunity for sleep, and that results in some form of daytime impairment. Chronic insomnia is present for at least a month and may present itself with a variety of specific patient complaints and etiologies.
Insomnia requires an accurate diagnosis and implementation of guideline directed intervention because of its effect on the patient and the public at large. Insomnia affects a person’s cognitive awareness, reflexive and reaction capability, and physical impairment because of insomnia can result in injury to self or others.