ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Acute and chronic insomnia are prevalent in a multitude of medical settings. The degree of relevance of this disorder to the particular medical care being delivered will vary substantially from one setting to another. Nevertheless, it is incumbent on health care providers of all types to recognize the potential importance of this problem and the influence it may have on care delivery and outcome, and to be familiar with at least the basics of assessment and management. Chronic insomnia is associated with increased health care utilization, chronic illness, and high rates of disability and functional impairment (1,2) (see also chapter 3). As outlined in previous chapters, the condition may also predispose to psychiatric disorders (3,4), alter pain thresholds (5), and perhaps, adversely affect cardiovascular function (6), to name but a few of the possible consequences.
