Insomnia Symptom Checker: How Bad Is Your Sleep Trouble?
An informal 8-question self-check on how much your sleep trouble is affecting you — frequency, pattern, and daytime impact. Not a diagnosis. Takes 90 seconds.
Answer honestly based on the past month. This is an informal check, not a diagnosis.
1. Nights per week
In a typical week over the past month, how many nights have you had trouble falling or staying asleep?
2. How long has this been going on?
Roughly how long has this sleep trouble been a pattern for you?
3. Main pattern
When you have trouble sleeping, what's the main pattern?
4. Time to fall asleep
On a typical bad night, roughly how long does it take you to fall asleep?
5. Next-day energy and mood
How much does poor sleep affect your energy or mood the next day?
6. Concentration and performance
How much does poor sleep affect your concentration or work/school performance?
7. Worry about your sleep
How much do you worry or stress about your sleep, specifically?
8. Overall satisfaction
Overall, how satisfied are you with your current sleep?
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)?+
No. The ISI is a real, validated clinical questionnaire developed by Dr. Charles Morin — it's copyrighted and licensed through Mapi Research Trust, so we don't reproduce it here. This is our own original 8-question checker covering similar territory (frequency, pattern, daytime impact) in our own wording and scoring. If you specifically want the validated ISI result, ask your doctor or a sleep clinic.
Is this a diagnosis?+
No. This is an informal self-check, not a diagnostic or validated clinical instrument. A formal diagnosis of insomnia disorder requires a clinical evaluation by a physician or sleep specialist.
What does my score mean?+
0–6 is minimal difficulty, 7–12 is mild-to-moderate, 13–18 is significant (CBT-I is usually the recommended next step), and 19–24 is severe (worth a conversation with a doctor). These are our own reasonable-effort bands, not psychometrically validated cutoffs.
How is this different from the insomnia self-assessment tool?+
They're both informal checkers rather than validated instruments. This one is built around frequency and duration first (how many nights per week, how long it's been going on), then pattern and daytime impact — a different structure and question set.
Can I use this to diagnose myself with insomnia?+
No. Use it to get a rough read on whether your sleep trouble looks like a real pattern worth addressing — then talk to a doctor if the answer is yes. A real diagnosis requires ruling out other causes (sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, depression, medication side effects).
How often should I retake this?+
Every 2–4 weeks if you're actively working on your sleep. The value is in tracking the trend, not any single score.
What is CBT-I and how effective is it?+
CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is a structured 6–8 session psychological treatment that addresses the thoughts and behaviors perpetuating insomnia. Clinical trials generally find it more effective than sleeping pills long-term, and it's recommended as first-line treatment by the American College of Physicians.
Does insomnia affect mental health?+
Substantially. Chronic insomnia roughly doubles the lifetime risk of major depressive disorder and increases risk of generalized anxiety disorder. The relationship runs both ways — treating insomnia directly tends to improve mental health outcomes too.
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