Less than three months.
Difficulty may begin with stress, illness, travel or a change in circumstances. Some spells improve as the trigger settles.
A short spell.
Or a pattern that stays.
Duration helps a clinician understand sleep difficulties. It is not a countdown you must finish before asking for help.
Short-term and long-term.
Three months or more.
Clinicians also consider frequency and daytime effects. Formal chronic insomnia assessment commonly includes difficulty at least three nights a week, despite adequate opportunity to sleep.
Pat has struggled for six weeks and can barely cope during the day. Should Pat wait until three months to ask for help?
Read the explanation
The duration label does not decide whether you deserve help. Problems affecting daily life can be discussed before three months.
Why can a problem stay after the trigger?
A reinforcing loop
Poor sleep can lead to more worry and alertness around bedtime, which may make sleep harder. This is one possible contributor, not proof that the problem is “all in your head”.
Other contributors can remain
Pain, health conditions, medicines, schedule changes and other sleep disorders can still matter. An assessment looks beyond one explanation.
Treatment can address the pattern
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is usually recommended first for long-term insomnia. It addresses thoughts and behaviours around sleep alongside appropriate assessment of other contributors.