Treating Patients With Insomnia

By the time the patient with insomnia makes it to primary care, they have probably been struggling with sleep for a while, and have probably tried some things on their own – without luck. And now they’re hoping YOU can fix it, preferably…tonight?

Insomnia is a murky clinical topic; it’s not always as simple as not getting enough sleep. There are other conditions that can impact sleep. There are common lifestyle factors that can impact sleep. And sometimes it IS as simple as not getting enough sleep. (Confused yet?)

Insomnia Treatment in Primary Care

If you aren’t sure where to start with the patient with insomnia, let’s get you sure. This week, we’ll talk about:

✅ Sleep hygiene – what it is and why it’s important in patients with insomnia

✅ The role of substances (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine) in sleep issues

✅ Getting an insomnia/sleep history

✅ Pharmacological approach to treating insomnia

✅ Non-pharmacological approach to treating insomnia

✅ Patient education strategies

There aren’t any tests or labs for diagnosing insomnia. Digging deep and getting a very good history is the biggest part of understanding what is going on and developing the best plan to get your patient the relief they need.   

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