What is the minimum frequency of nights per week for diagnosing Primary Insomnia?

To diagnose Primary Insomnia, it is essential to establish that the symptoms occur frequently enough to be clinically significant. The diagnosis requires that the individual experiences sleep disturbances at least three times per week. This threshold of frequency is important as it helps differentiate between occasional sleep issues and a more persistent insomnia condition that warrants clinical attention.

By requiring symptoms to manifest at least three nights per week, the diagnosis reflects a pattern indicating that the insomnia is not an isolated event but rather a chronic problem that can significantly affect a person's daily functioning and quality of life. This aligns with the diagnostic criteria outlined in the DSM-5.

Lower frequency criteria, such as those indicating one or two nights, do not adequately capture the chronic nature needed for a primary insomnia diagnosis, while a higher frequency of five nights might suggest a more severe or pervasive disturbance. Thus, three or more nights is the balanced and clinically relevant criterion for establishing a diagnosis of Primary Insomnia.