Insomnia, anxiety and related disorders: a systematic review on clinical and therapeutic perspective with potential mechanisms underlying their complex link

Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders are the most common mental disturbances, with dysregulation in emotions and cognition as central features. Since the function of sleep in regulating emotions, cognition stress response and inflammation is quintessential, sleep disturbances may be ideal modifiable factors in anxiety and related disorders. Accordingly, the aim of the review was to systematically review the association between insomnia symptoms and anxiety and related disorders. A systematic search has been conducted, and 93 papers have been selected for insomnia and General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorder, Separation anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, according to PRISMA. This review represents a comprehensive overview of clinical and therapeutic approaches to insomnia in the framework of anxiety and related disorders with a discussion of potential mechanisms underlying their complex link.