OBJECTIVES: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard treatment for chronic insomnia. While CBT-I is highly effective at improving sleep, standard CBT-I protocols rarely target daytime symptoms directly. The objective of this overview is to provide clinicians with a practical, evidence-informed strategies to address daytime symptoms of insomnia. METHODS: The literature was reviewed to identify evidence-informed strategies that address daytime symptoms of insomnia and can be integrated into CBT-I protocols. Strategies considered were drawn from the fields of sleep and circadian sciences, as well as health psychology. RESULTS: Daytime strategies that were identified included specific cognitive, behavioral, and acceptance-based approaches to manage fatigue, sleepiness, and daytime impairment and distress. Specific interventions and recommendations for how these skills can be applied to daytime symptoms were presented and discussed using a case formulation approach. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia is a 24-hour disorder, and it is important for clinicians to address both nighttime and daytime symptoms. Evidence-informed strategies to address daytime symptoms can be integrated within a CBT-I framework. These strategies carry implications for quality of life as well as overall treatment efficacy. Future research should assess the direct impact of intentional inclusion of these strategies on treatment outcomes.
Lau et al. (Sat,) studied this question.