When Should Pharmacological Interventions for Insomnia Be Recommended?

This commentary on a case describes how social determinants of health also contribute to insomnia and then suggests how to balance risks and benefits of different strategies for managing chronic insomnia. Behaviorally induced insufficient sleep syndrome can exacerbate morning side effects of prescription sleep aids, and there are potentially serious long-term risks (eg, dementia, falls, death) associated with chronic benzodiazepine use. Before trying sleeping pills, chronic insomnia should be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy.