Clinical management of insomnia: pharmacological and psychological strategies

Abstract

Each year, insomnia affects more than 60 million adults in the United States—a startling 30% to 50% of the general population. It is one of the most common presenting complaints in primary care and, like so many mental health problems, disproportionally affects women. Sleep research demonstrates that women need as much as an hour and a half more sleep than men—a (suggested) total of 8–9 hours of sleep per day. For both men and women, a good night’s sleep is essential to overall physical and mental health. Sleep needs among individuals vary a great deal, but a basic step that anyone can take to feel healthy, increase energy, and even fight physical disease is to get as much sleep as needed. 1