Chapter 13- Insomnia Disorder
This chapter covers sleep-wake disorders, one of which is insomnia disorder. The
following is a summary of the formal diagnostic criteria for the disorder, etiologies, treatment
modalities, counselling interventions and multicultural implications.
DSM-V-TR diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder.
The criteria require the manifestation of at least one of the following three symptoms:
1. Difficulties falling asleep.
2. Difficulties staying asleep, exhibited by frequent awakenings.
3. Waking up earlier than desired, with the evident inability to fall back to sleep.
4. The symptoms must be consistent for at least three nights a week and present
for a minimum of three months (Reichenberg & Seligman, 2016).
Other important symptoms that could be explored include:
Dissatisfaction with quantity and/or quality of sleep for the period mentioned above.
Significant distress due to sleep issues leading to impaired ability to perform activities
of daily living.
Sleep disturbances persist despite adequate circumstances and opportunities for
quality sleep (Seow et al., 2018).
Etiologies
Biological factors- A constant state of hyperarousal typically reflected by increased
metabolic rate and an overall increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and
cortisol levels have been linked to difficulty falling asleep. It’s more diagnosed in
women than men. Having a family history of disrupted sleep or insomnia is also a
potential predisposing factor.
Psychological factors- this disorder records prevalence in people who experience
frequent, high-degree anxieties, worries, depression and fatigue.
This chapter covers sleep-wake disorders, one of which is insomnia disorder. The
following is a summary of the formal diagnostic criteria for the disorder, etiologies, treatment
modalities, counselling interventions and multicultural implications.
DSM-V-TR diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder.
The criteria require the manifestation of at least one of the following three symptoms:
1. Difficulties falling asleep.
2. Difficulties staying asleep, exhibited by frequent awakenings.
3. Waking up earlier than desired, with the evident inability to fall back to sleep.
4. The symptoms must be consistent for at least three nights a week and present
for a minimum of three months (Reichenberg & Seligman, 2016).
Other important symptoms that could be explored include:
Dissatisfaction with quantity and/or quality of sleep for the period mentioned above.
Significant distress due to sleep issues leading to impaired ability to perform activities
of daily living.
Sleep disturbances persist despite adequate circumstances and opportunities for
quality sleep (Seow et al., 2018).
Etiologies
Biological factors- A constant state of hyperarousal typically reflected by increased
metabolic rate and an overall increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and
cortisol levels have been linked to difficulty falling asleep. It’s more diagnosed in
women than men. Having a family history of disrupted sleep or insomnia is also a
potential predisposing factor.
Psychological factors- this disorder records prevalence in people who experience
frequent, high-degree anxieties, worries, depression and fatigue.
