Insomnia Disorder

DC 9499Mental Disorders38 CFR 4.130, DC 9499 — General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

A sleep disorder where you have ongoing trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. The VA rates insomnia by analogy to mental disorders, based on how it affects your ability to work and function in daily life.

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea — if both exist, they should be claimed separately.
⚠Not connecting insomnia to service-connected conditions like PTSD, depression, or chronic pain as a secondary condition.
⚠Failing to document how sleep deprivation affects daytime functioning — mood, concentration, work performance, and relationships.
⚠Not keeping a sleep diary documenting how often you wake up, total sleep hours, and impact on next-day function.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Mental Disorders (other than PTSD and Eating Disorders)

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Insomnia Disorder

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea — if both exist, they should be claimed separately.

⚠Not connecting insomnia to service-connected conditions like PTSD, depression, or chronic pain as a secondary condition.

⚠Failing to document how sleep deprivation affects daytime functioning — mood, concentration, work performance, and relationships.

⚠Not keeping a sleep diary documenting how often you wake up, total sleep hours, and impact on next-day function.