Anxiety sensitivity: predictor of sleep-related impairment and medication use in chronic insomnia

The relationship between anxiety sensitivity and sleep was investigated in a sample of 53 adults with chronic insomnia. Using hierarchical regression analyses, and after controlling for the propensity to worry and the presence of psychiatric comorbidity, results showed that anxiety sensitivity reliably improved the prediction of sleep-related impairment and frequency of hypnotic medication use, but not actual sleep disturbance. Specifically, fear of cognitive dyscontrol was associated with greater sleep-related impairment. There was a trend towards fear of physical distress predicting more frequent medication use. Implications of these findings for the treatment of insomnia are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.