Over one third were not able to fall asleep during the day. About 40–50% mentioned a trigger (most frequently psychological triggers), a history of being bad sleepers to begin with, a family history of sleep problems, and a negative progression of insomnia. They had suffered from symptoms for about 12 ± 11 years before seeing a sleep specialist. Results: A cohort of 456 insomnia patients was described (56% women, mean age 52 ± 16 years). A 14-item insomnia questionnaire on symptoms, progression, sleep history and treatment, was part of the clinical routine. Methods: Patients visiting the sleep center and indicating self-reported signs of insomnia were examined by a sleep specialist who confirmed an insomnia diagnosis. Including a comprehensive literature review, this study also introduces new phenotypical relevant parameters by describing a specific insomnia cohort. Objectives: The identification of clinically relevant subtypes of insomnia is important. 3Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia.2Department of Behavioral Therapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Rehabilitation Center Seehof, Federal German Pension Agency, Seehof, Germany.1Department of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Interdisciplinary Center of Sleep Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.Ingo Fietze 1, Naima Laharnar 1 *, Volker Koellner 2 and Thomas Penzel 1,3