Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and Acute Insomnia: Considerations and Controversies

The term “acute insomnia” has been part of the language of sleep medicine since the late 1970s. Despite that, a comprehensive research agenda on the topic has only recently been advanced. This has prevented a clinical viewpoint on the assessment and management of acute insomnia. Although there is a cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia focused intervention, designed to circumvent the transition from acute insomnia to insomnia disorder, the results from trials undertaken have been variable and limited by small sample sizes. There is much work to be done regarding the assessment, diagnosis, and management of acute insomnia.