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Insomnia, RLS & instruments: what the research actually says

Insomnia, restless legs and the validated instruments used to measure them — plus what treatment guidelines actually recommend first.

All studies · 6

European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of insomniaRiemann D, Baglioni C, Bassetti C, et al. · Journal of Sleep Research 26(6):675–700 · 2017CBT-I is first-line treatment; hypnotics only short term.Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of PhysiciansQaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, Cooke M, Denberg TD · Annals of Internal Medicine 165(2):125–133 · 2016Strong recommendation: all adults with chronic insomnia receive CBT-I as initial treatment.Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease diagnostic criteria: updated International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) consensus criteriaAllen RP, Picchietti DL, Garcia-Borreguero D, et al. · Sleep Medicine 15(8):860–873 · 2014The four essential criteria plus 'not solely accounted for by another condition' used in the RLS screen.Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index as an outcome measure for insomnia researchBastien CH, Vallières A, Morin CM · Sleep Medicine 2(4):297–307 · 2001The 7-item ISI; ≥15 indicates clinical insomnia.Horne & Östberg morningness-eveningness questionnaire: a reduced scaleAdan A, Almirall H · Personality and Individual Differences 12(3):241–253 · 1991The 5-item rMEQ chronotype scale used in the Check tab.A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scaleJohns MW · Sleep 14(6):540–545 · 1991The 8-item Epworth scale; ≥11 suggests excessive daytime sleepiness.

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Frequently asked questions

What does the research say about insomnia, RLS & instruments?

The 5-item rMEQ chronotype scale used in the Check tab.

How do I track insomnia, RLS & instruments?

SleepShred logs it in about 20 seconds a day and then compares your nights with and without it, so you see the effect on your own sleep instead of the study average.

Is SleepShred free?

No. SleepShred Pro is $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year, with no free trial and no ads. Everything stays on your iPhone.

Track it, don't guess it

SleepShred turns this research into a 20-second daily habit: log your night, see which of your own behaviours move your sleep, and screen for the disorders nobody diagnoses.

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Educational summary of published research, not medical advice. Screening scores are not diagnoses. If a score is elevated or you feel unwell, talk to a clinician.