Sleep disturbance in generalized anxiety disorder and its treatment (original) (raw)

Abstract

Sleep laboratory and epidemiological studies indicate that insomnia is a frequent finding in patients with psychiatric disorders. In this respect, insomnia associated with a major depression or an anxiety disorder, mainly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), is the most prevalent diagnosis. According to available evidence, the sleep disturbance associated with mild-to-moderate GAD is a sleep-maintenance insomnia, and to a lesser extent a sleep-onset insomnia. Insomnia associated with mild-to-moderate GAD generally responds to psychological treatments and anxiolytic benzodiazepines. Moreover, concomitant administration of hypnotic medication can be contemplated in patients with severe GAD.

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As with MDD and bipolar disorder, a change in sleep is among the core features of GAD. In this case the alteration is disturbance of sleep (difficulty falling or staying asleep), which affects over half of those with GAD.1,40–42 Few data exist on the polysomnographic features that characterize the sleep of patients with GAD. View all citing articles on Scopus

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