One word, many experiences
“Insomnia” describes what happens; the interview looks for what keeps it going.
A useful evaluation does not only ask how many hours you sleep. It distinguishes whether the difficulty is starting, staying asleep or finishing sleep; whether there was enough time available; what happens during the day; whether the clock has shifted; and whether breathing, legs, pain, mood or substances are interrupting the process.
This form follows that clinical logic, but it is not a diagnosis and not a copy of the ISI. The Insomnia Severity Index is a validated instrument whose commercial reproduction requires permission. Here we use original questions inspired by the interview domains of AASM, NHLBI and VA/DoD, without inventing a “medical score”.
Several patterns can coexist. For example, one person may have fragmented breathing and have also learned to fear the bed; another may be exhausted from a genuine lack of opportunity rather than from insomnia. Your result will show priorities, not a single label.
Take 8–10 minutes
Answer thinking about the last two weeks.
If one night was exceptional, do not use it as your reference. Choose what best represents your usual pattern.
Your map
What to deal with first and what to do starting today.
The cards are ordered by priority. Having several does not mean “having many illnesses”: it shows factors that can mix together.
While you clarify the cause
A base plan that produces information and reduces the fight.
For seven mornings, record without monitoring.
Why: a week shows whether the problem is timing, opportunity, fragmentation or alertness; watching the clock all night only increases the effort.
When you get up, note bedtime, estimated sleep, awakenings, final wake time, naps, caffeine/alcohol, physical symptoms and daytime functioning. Look for repetitions, not perfection.
Protect one wake-up time.
Why: a stable reference helps your clock and stops every bad night from completely changing the next one.
Choose a sustainable time, get outdoor light during the first hour and move your body during the day. If your safety is compromised, do not drive and prioritise rest or cover.
Give the bed its job back.
Why: lying down to “try” for hours teaches watchfulness.
Get in when physical sleepiness arrives. If frustration turns up, go somewhere dim, do something monotonous and come back with sleepiness. Do not use a timer; go by whether you are fighting.
Choose one single regulating practice.
Why: trying six things at once makes it impossible to know what helped and turns rest into another task.
For one week choose slow 4/6 breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga nidra, ASMR or hypnosis. Practise at low volume, without forcing, and record whether it reduces tension, rumination or time awake.