Qualitative Examination of Daytime Monitoring and Selective Attention in Insomnia

Purpose Insomnia is partly maintained by selective attention and monitoring for cues that indicate the presence of a poor night’s sleep. However, little published work examining the role of selective attention in insomnia from a qualitative perspective exists. Methods Eleven participants with DSM-5 insomnia disorder completed semi-structured interviews.Results“Thematic analysis” revealed two prominent, yet interrelated, themes: impairment to daytime functioning and selective attention and monitoring. Perceived difficulty initiating and maintaining asleep during the biological night was accompanied by increased efforts during the day to complete mundane tasks. In addition, reports of consciously selectively attending to sleep-related cues on awakening were frequent, and for some this behaviour extends throughout the day. Conclusion The current outcomes provide first-person support for cognitive models of the disorder. Treatment approaches may wish to target and alleviate selective attention in insomnia.