Athens insomnia scale

The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) is a widely used medical tool to assess insomnia symptoms in individuals with sleep disorders. Introduced in 2000 by a group of researchers from Athens, Greece, the AIS helps healthcare professionals evaluate the severity of insomnia and monitor treatment progress.

Overview[edit | edit source]

The Athens Insomnia Scale consists of eight items that measure various aspects of insomnia, including:

Sleep induction (difficulty falling asleep)
Awakening during the night
Early morning awakening
Total sleep duration
Sleep quality
Sense of well-being during the day
Functioning during the day
Sleepiness during the day

Each item is rated on a 0-3 scale, with 0 indicating no problem and 3 indicating a severe problem. The total score ranges from 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating more severe insomnia.

Scoring and Interpretation[edit | edit source]

The Athens Insomnia Scale is designed to be self-administered by the patient. Scores for each item are added together to obtain a total score, which can be interpreted as follows:

0-5: No significant insomnia
6-10: Mild insomnia
11-15: Moderate insomnia
16-24: Severe insomnia

A total score of 6 or higher typically indicates the presence of clinically significant insomnia, warranting further evaluation and possible intervention.

Applications[edit | edit source]

The Athens Insomnia Scale is commonly used in clinical practice and research settings to:

Assess the severity of insomnia symptoms
Monitor changes in insomnia symptoms over time or in response to treatment
Screen for insomnia in individuals with sleep complaints or other medical conditions associated with sleep disturbances
Aid in the diagnosis of insomnia and other sleep disorders

Limitations[edit | edit source]

While the Athens Insomnia Scale is a valuable tool in assessing insomnia, it has some limitations:

It is a self-report measure, which may be subject to bias or inaccurate reporting.
It may not capture all aspects of an individual's sleep experience or the specific causes of their insomnia.
It does not replace a comprehensive clinical evaluation, including a detailed sleep history, physical examination, and, if necessary, diagnostic testing such as polysomnography.

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