Investigating Racing Thoughts in Patients With Insomnia Disorder

Cognitive arousal has been identified as playing a key role in the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. However, although people with insomnia frequently complain about racing thoughts appearing as soon as they get into bed, studies focusing on racing thoughts in insomnia are lacking. The aim of the present study is to investigate racing thoughts in insomnia disorder using a self-report questionnaire, the Racing and Crowded Thoughts Questionnaire. Specifically, the researchers seek to address three related goals: the comparison of RCTQ scores in adults with primary insomnia, healthy individuals, and patients with bipolar disorder in a manic/hypomanic episode; the variation of RCTQ scores relative to time of day; and the specific contribution of racing thoughts to insomnia severity, as compared to worry and rumination.