Insomnia current diagnosis: an appraisal / Diagnóstico atual de insônia: uma apreciação

Chronic insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in adults andits diagnosis is fundamental for adequate clinical management. The aim of this paper is to present recently published definitions of insomnia according to current international classifications, such as the International Classification of Sleep Disorders - Third Edition and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fifth Edition. For the first time, these classifications are congruent related to thei rdiagnostic criteria; both present insomnia as a distinct disorder and divide it into acute, chronic and other. This emphasizes the necessityof a specific insomnia approach. Furthermore, it is necessary torecognize those insomniacs with physiological hyperarousal, whichmay be identified by objective measures (short total sleep time, forinstance). These patients may have poorer outcome, as they are athigher risk of developing cardiometabolic conditions and neurocognitive impairment. Diagnosis is primarily made on a clinical basis (anamnesis and physical examination), while sleep diaries and questionnaires (such as Insomnia Severity Index) can help evaluate these patients. Objective measures, such as polysomnography, arenot required in most cases, except when suspicion of another sleep disorder arises.

A insônia crônica é o transtorno do sono mais comum em adultos,e seu diagnóstico é fundamental para o manejo clínico adequado.O principal objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar, em relação à insônia,as definições publicadas recentemente segundo as novas classificações internacionais, como a Classificação Internacional de Distúrbios do Sono - Terceira Edição e o Manual Diagnóstico e Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais - Quinta Edição. Pela primeira vez, essas classificações são congruentes a respeito de seus critérios diagnósticos,pois ambas apresentam a insônia como uma doença em si ea dividem em aguda, crônica e outras. Isso enfatiza a necessidade de uma abordagem específica da insônia. Além do mais, é necessário reconhecer os insones com estado fisiológico de hiper alerta que podem ser identificados por medidas objetivas (tempo total de sono curto, por exemplo). Esses pacientes podem ter pior prognóstico, por causa do maior risco de desenvolver condições cardiometabólicas e comprometimento neurocognitivo. O diagnóstico da insônia é feito principalmente com base em dados clínicos (anamnese e exame físico),e o uso de diário de sono e questionários (tais como o Índice de Gravidade de Insônia) pode ajudar na avaliação desses pacientes.Análises objetivas, como aquelas obtidas pela polissonografia, não são rotineiramente necessárias na maioria dos casos, exceto quando há a suspeita de outro distúrbio do sono.

Is exercise an alternative treatment for chronic insomnia?

The purposes of this systematic/critical review are: 1) to identify studies on the effects of exercise on chronic insomnia and sleep complaints in middle-aged and older adults and to compare the results of exercise with those obtained with hypnotic medications and 2) to discuss potential mechanisms by which exercise could promote sleep in insomniac patients. We identified studies from 1983 through 2011 using MEDLINE, SCOPUS and Web of Science. For systematic analyses, only studies assessing the chronic effects of exercise on sleep in people with sleep complaints or chronic insomnia were considered. We used the following keywords when searching for articles: insomnia, sleep, sleep complaints, exercise and physical activity. For a critical review, studies were selected on the effects of exercise and possible mechanisms that may explain the effects of exercise on insomnia. We identified five studies that met our inclusion criteria for systematic review. Exercise training is effective at decreasing sleep complaints and insomnia. Aerobic exercise has been more extensively studied, and its effects are similar to those observed after hypnotic medication use. Mechanisms are proposed to explain the effects of exercise on insomnia. There is additional documented evidence on the antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects of exercise. Exercise is effective to decrease sleep complaints and to treat chronic insomnia. Exercise presented similar results when compared with hypnotics; however, prospective studies comparing the effects of exercise with medical and non-medical treatments are warranted before including exercise as a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia are necessary.