INSOMNIA MATTERS IN YOUR SSD CLAIM

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?

When people think about Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, they often picture obvious physical limitations or mental conditions. What many don’t realize is that often insomnia and chronic sleep problems play a significant role in a successful disability claim. This is especially true when insomnia is a symptom of an underlying medical or mental health condition.

At our SSD law firm, we regularly help clients understand how symptoms like insomnia can support their SSD case. The main action you need to take is to make sure that your medical records properly document your chronic sleep issues.

Insomnia is not just the occasional restless night. Medically, it refers to chronic problems with:

• Falling asleep
• Staying asleep
• Waking too early and being unable to return to sleep
• Experiencing poor quality sleep

Chronic insomnia usually occurs at least three nights per week for three months or longer. The main issue with insomnia is that because of the lack of sleep, you begin to experience serious daytime impairments. For example, you cannot focus of concentrate on work tasks. Additionally, you might need to take too many extra breaks at work or worse, fall asleep on the job.

UNDERSTANDING INSOMNIA AS A MEDICAL SYMPTOM

Insomnia is not simply having trouble sleeping once in a while. From a medical point of view, it refers to ongoing difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep despite having adequate opportunity to do so. Over time, this lack of quality sleep can lead to serious physical, mental, and cognitive consequences.

Chronic insomnia often develops alongside other medical conditions rather than existing on its own. Pain, neurological disorders, and mental health conditions frequently disrupt normal sleep patterns. Because of this, insomnia is best understood as a symptom that reflects the severity and persistence of an underlying medical condition rather than a single diagnosis.

WHY INSOMNIA MATTERS IN SSD CLAIMS

The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not award disability benefits based on a diagnosis alone. Yes, you do need a diagnosis. But, once you obtain a diagnosis you must prove that your medical condition meets or equals a listing under step three of the disability review process.

If you do not meet or equal an SSA listing, then you must prove that your insomnia prevents you from performing your past work and all other work. This analysis is done using step four of the review process for past work . Once you prove you cannot perform your past jobs, then the burden of proof shifts to the SSA. They must prove that other jobs exist that you can perform under step five of the review process.

The SSA will focus on how your symptoms affect your ability to work forty hours a week. Insomnia directly impacts this analysis because consistent sleep deprivation interferes with your ability to concentrate and regulate your emotions. It also can impact your stamina and reliability at work.

Even when someone appears capable of performing job tasks on paper, chronic insomnia can make it impossible to meet the demands of competitive employment. Difficulty with focus, increased mistakes, slowed thinking, and being unable to maintain a regular schedule are all consequences of poor sleep. The SSA must consider all of these issues when they evaluate whether you can work.

APPLY FOR TWO TYPES OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

There are two types of Social Security benefits. The first is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. SSDI benefits are for those who have a full time work history for five out of the last 10 years. The amount of your SSDI benefit depends on the taxes you paid on your previous salary.

In addition to SSDI benefits, you can win Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI benefits are need based. The benefit is not based on how much money you earn or the taxes you pay. Instead, it is based on a minimum standard of living. Therefore, SSI is for people with very limited resources and low income. If you have greater than $2000 in the bank, for example, then you do not qualify for SSI benefits. In 2025, the maximum monthly SSI benefit is $967 for an individual.

You can apply for either benefit on Social Security’s website. The process to file an application for disability benefits is easy to follow. However, collecting all of the information and answering the questions can be difficult and take a lot of time. If you need help filing your application, reach out to our law firm. We will help you file your application for benefits. But many other law firms do not provide this service.

INSOMNIA IN MENTAL HEALTH CASES

Insomnia is especially significant in claims that involve mental health conditions. Sleep problems are a core symptom of many mental disorders. For example, sleep problems often occur if you have depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. When insomnia is present, it often worsens other symptoms such as mood swings, panic, and negative thoughts.

In mental health disability claims, insomnia can demonstrate that your mental health issues are severe and ongoing. Persistent sleep problems can show that treatment has not fully controlled your symptoms. Insomnia, like many other symptoms of mental health disorders, impacts employment. It is obvious that when you lack sleep, especially after multiple nights in a row, it impacts your ability to function at work. Some people may even be late to work or miss work days entirely due to lack of sleep.

When your medical record documents insomnia alongside other mental symptoms, it helps establish your condition. In mental health cases, insomnia is not just a secondary complaint but a meaningful indicator of a severe medical condition.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE PROVES INSOMNIA

For insomnia to support a disability claim, it must be consistently discussed in your medical records. The SSA places greater weight on treatment notes that show ongoing reports of sleep problems and their effects during the day. When doctors or mental health providers note fatigue and cognitive difficulties tied to poor sleep, then that evidence can help win the case.

Medical records also help establish the long term nature of insomnia. Evidence that your sleep problems persist despite treatment, medication, or therapy supports the argument that your sleep disorder is chronic. Without these records, insomnia is often dismissed by the SSA as a minor or temporary complaint.

When you visit your doctor, make sure that you explain how insomnia impacts you on a daily basis. Ask your doctor to include this information in your progress notes. Additionally, ask your doctor if there are any medications you can take to help with insomnia. If you are falling asleep during the day, then tell your doctor about it. Explain to your doctor how many times a night you are waking up and how long you are awake. Going into this type of detail with your doctor will help with treatment. Also, your doctor might then send you for a sleep study.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR FOR A SLEEP STUDY

A sleep study, or polysomnography, is a medical test used to evaluate how you sleep. It can help your doctor diagnose sleep disorders. The study is usually done overnight in a sleep laboratory. However,  some studies can be done at home.

During the study, sensors monitor body functions such as brain activity, breathing patterns, heart rate, oxygen levels, and muscle movement. This is all done while you sleep.

The information from a sleep study helps your doctor identify conditions like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and other sleep disorders. By observing sleep stages, doctors can better understand the cause of sleep problems. Once they know the cause, they can recommend appropriate treatment.

INSOMNIA AND YOUR RESIDUAL FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY (RFC)

One of the most important parts of a disability claim is the RFC. This assessment determines what a person can still do despite their mental and physical issues. Insomnia can significantly reduce RFC by limiting a your ability to stay on task, maintain attendance, and tolerate normal work stress.

The way to prove that you have a mental disorder is to seek treatment. Treatment is not just taking medication. Instead, you need to take the medication your doctor gives you and seek counseling. If you talk to a counselor two or three times a month, then your therapist can document your sleep issues. Your therapist can also document your other mental health symptoms. Finally, your doctor and therapist can fill out forms or write letters about how your insomnia and other mental health issues prevent you from working.

Because insomnia is an invisible symptom, its impact is often overlooked by the SSA. Therefore, make sure your doctor discusses it in your medical records. Demonstrating how poor sleep affects concentration, pace, and reliability can make the difference between a denial and an approval. This is particularly true in cases where physical limitations alone do not fully explain why you cannot work.

SLEEP DISORDERS OTHER THAN INSOMNIA

Sleep disorders other than insomnia can significantly affect your health, mood, and daily function. One common example is sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This disorder can cause loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and concentration problems because the body does not get enough oxygen or deep sleep.

Another sleep disorder is narcolepsy, which affects the brain’s ability to regulate sleep wake cycles. People with narcolepsy may experience sudden sleep attacks during the day, making school, work, and daily activities challenging.

Other sleep disorders involve unusual behaviors or movements during sleep. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an urge to move them, especially at night, which can make falling asleep difficult.

Additionally, parasomnias, such as sleepwalking or night terrors, involve abnormal actions or experiences during sleep. These sleep issues are common in children, though they can occur at any age. Although these sleep disorders differ in symptoms and causes, they can all reduce sleep quality and your overall health if not properly managed.

HOW OUR SSD LAW FIRM HELPS YOU WIN BENEFITS

You do not need to try to win SSD benefits on your own. We can help file your application for SSD benefits. Also, we can help you file an appeal after every SSA denial. That way, you can focus on your health and spending time with your family. Our attorneys and staff can:

• Send you the paperwork you need to become our client
• Help you file your application for SSD and SSI benefits
• Inform the SSA they should pay you under the Compassionate Allowance Rules
• File an appeal if you receive a denial
• Help you confirm your SSA doctor exam
• Request a Hearing with an Administrative Law Judge
• Prepare you to testify at your SSA hearing
• Represent you at your hearing
• Question the expert witnesses
• Read about job expert testimony
• Learn about medical expert testimony
• Request review of an SSA decision with the Appeals Council
• Request review of an Appeals Council denial in Federal Court

If you file your application for benefits on Social Security’s website, then you have 6 months to complete it. However, if you have a medical condition that automatically wins SSD benefits, then you should not wait to finish your application. Once you submit your application online, the SSA sends you an application summary in the mail. You must sign the summary and mail it back. Otherwise, they will not process your application.

HIRE THE BEST SSD LAW FIRM TO WIN YOUR BENEFITS

Proving insomnia in a Social Security Disability claim requires you to document your sleep problems. Additionally, your insomnia symptoms must be clearly tied to a medical condition on SSA’s list of medical conditions. Or, you must prove with evidence that your insomnia symptoms interfere with your ability to work. This is where hiring the best SSD law firm becomes especially valuable.

Our law firm understands how to build a comprehensive disability case that reflects the full impact of your symptoms, including insomnia. We work to ensure that Social Security sees the complete picture of how your condition affects your daily life and your ability to maintain employment.

Insomnia may not qualify for Social Security Disability benefits on its own, but it can be powerful evidence that helps prove you cannot work. Chronic sleep problems often reveal functional limitations that are not immediately obvious. However, they can be crucial to winning your disability case.

If insomnia is affecting your ability to work and support yourself, then it is time to explore your legal options. Our SSD law firm is committed to helping you present a strong disability case. We will help you document your insomnia. Contact us today. Let us help you obtain the disability benefits you deserve.