Insomnia: Therapeutic Options for Women

This article describes the circumstances under which women may develop insomnia and the various treatment options, including hypnotic medication and nonpharmacologic approaches. The efficacy and safety of these treatments are reviewed. The choice of treatment depends on the nature of the insomnia, the stage of a woman's life, the presence of medical or mental-health conditions, the availability of treatments, and personal preference. For immediate, short-term relief of acute insomnia, hypnotic medication, especially the nonbenzodiazepines (zolpidem, zopiclone, eszopiclone) are options. For chronic insomnia, insomnia-specific cognitive and behavioral therapies are generally the interventions of choice.