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    Insomnia disorder

    失眠症

    Clinical diagnosis
    Also called
    insomnia, chronic insomnia, short-term insomnia, trouble sleeping, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, CBT-I

    When does poor sleep become insomnia disorder?

    Insomnia disorder is frequent difficulty falling or staying asleep despite enough time and a suitable setting for sleep, with effects on daytime energy, mood or concentration.[1] At least three nights a week for three months or more makes it chronic; shorter spells are short-term insomnia.[1][2]

    10,778 adults in Beijing: how many remain as each criterion is applied

    Short-term insomnia and treatment

    Data: Shang et al. (2026), Figure 1 and Table 1. Bar lengths use unweighted counts; percentages are the paper’s weighted prevalence. Not a self-test.

    Select a row or card for details.
    Data chart: in a 2021 Beijing survey, psychiatrists applied the DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder one by one to 10,778 adults. Each row shows how many people met every condition up to that step. Of the 1,961 who felt they slept badly, 381 were diagnosed; the biggest drop came at the daytime-impact step. The three cards below cover short-term insomnia and two approaches to treatment. Select a part for details. Select a part for details
    Data chart: in a 2021 Beijing survey, psychiatrists applied the DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder one by one to 10,778 adults. Each row shows how many people met every condition up to that step. Of the 1,961 who felt they slept badly, 381 were diagnosed; the biggest drop came at the daytime-impact step. The three cards below cover short-term insomnia and two approaches to treatment. Select a part for details. Save as image (PNG)

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    Key points

    • Psychiatrists interviewed 10,778 adults in Beijing in 2021: 17.7% reported poor sleep, 10.7% had insomnia symptoms, and only 3.0% met full DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder.[2]
    • Short sleep is not insomnia disorder. Too little time set aside for sleep or a noisy bedroom does not count, and poor sleep without daytime effects is not diagnosed as insomnia disorder.[1][4]
    • In 2021 the AASM gave a strong recommendation only to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). The 2023 European guideline also puts it first, including alongside other conditions.[3][4]
    • Sleep hygiene advice, like less coffee or a quiet bedroom, helps little by itself; neither guideline advises it alone.[3][4] Sleep restriction brings early sleepiness and may not suit people prone to mania.[3]

    An example

    Since changing jobs, Ms. Wang has lain awake over an hour on four or five nights a week for two months. She drifts off in meetings and snaps easily. Putting her phone away at bedtime has not helped. Her doctor asks her to keep a sleep diary for two weeks before they decide whether CBT-I fits.[4]

    Misreadings and limits

    An occasional bad night, or needing less sleep than others, is not insomnia disorder. Diagnosis takes a clinician weighing sleep history, a sleep diary and other conditions; online scales cannot diagnose.[1][4] Persistent insomnia that affects the day, or snoring and pauses in breathing, warrant a visit: German data suggest no more than 30% of people with insomnia have ever sought help.[4]

    If you need help now

    If you’re struggling to cope or having thoughts of harming yourself:

    If you’re in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

    Psyfield is not a crisis service. Numbers checked October 2026.

    Sources

    1. 1 World Health Organization (2025). Insomnia disorders: 7A00 Chronic insomnia; 7A01 Short-term insomnia. ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics (2025-01 release). View source
    2. 2 Shang, L., Zhao, Y., Cong, A., Lv, P., Ding, H., Zhu, X., & Zhang, L. (2026). Prevalence, subtypes, and comorbidity of DSM-5 insomnia disorder among adults in Beijing, China: A large-scale cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 26, 827. doi:10.1186/s12889-026-26453-x
    3. 3 Edinger, J. D., Arnedt, J. T., Bertisch, S. M., Carney, C. E., Harrington, J. J., Lichstein, K. L., Sateia, M. J., Troxel, W. M., Zhou, E. S., Kazmi, U., Heald, J. L., & Martin, J. L. (2021). Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 17(2), 255–262. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8986
    4. 4 Riemann, D., Espie, C. A., Altena, E., Arnardottir, E. S., Baglioni, C., Bassetti, C. L. A., Bastien, C., Berzina, N., Bjorvatn, B., Dikeos, D., Dolenc Groselj, L., Ellis, J. G., Garcia-Borreguero, D., Geoffroy, P. A., Gjerstad, M., Gonçalves, M., Hertenstein, E., Hoedlmoser, K., Hion, T., … Spiegelhalder, K. (2023). The European Insomnia Guideline: An update on the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia 2023. Journal of Sleep Research, 32(6), e14035. doi:10.1111/jsr.14035

    Last checked against sources: October 28, 2026