Diagnostic Tools for Insomnia

Insomnia is a common disorder characterized by chronic difficulties with sleep initiation and/or sleep maintenance accompanied by daytime dysfunction. The clinical interview is the primary tool for diagnosing insomnia. Secondary tools, such as sleep diaries and self-reporting questionnaires can be used to supplement the clinical interview so as to obtain more specific information on etiological factors, specific features, or treatment targets. In some cases, alternative tools such as polysomnography and actigraphy are needed to provide further information. This article presents these diagnostic tools and explains the process of selecting and implementing the tools in the assessment of insomnia.