Elsevier

Sleep Medicine Reviews

Volume 4, Issue 3, June 2000, Pages 263-276
Sleep Medicine Reviews

REVIEW ARTICLE
Sleep disturbance in generalized anxiety disorder and its treatment

https://doi.org/10.1053/smrv.1999.0096Get rights and content

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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