COMBAT INSOMNIA IN THE CONTEXT OF WAR: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK, REGIONAL FINDINGS, AND EMERGING DIRECTIONS IN MILITARY SOMNOTHERAPY

The article introduces the concept of combat insomnia – a complex neuropsychological sleep disorder that emerges in wartime conditions, affecting both military personnel and civilians. Based on a survey of over 300 respondents from various regions of Ukraine, the study analyzes key symptoms of combat insomnia, including nightmares, nocturnal awakenings, lack of restorative sleep, and fear of falling asleep, even in the absence of nightmares. The paper substantiates the necessity of recognizing combat insomnia as a distinct clinical phenomenon, differentiating it from deployment-related insomnia. A new interdisciplinary field–military somnotherapy–is proposed within the broader scope of somnotherapy, combining sleep medicine, neuropsychology, and trauma recovery. The article also presents an original diagnostic tool, SOMNUS-FRONT, designed to assess sleep disturbances, trauma-associated sleep disorders (TASD), neuropsychological exhaustion, and suicide risk.The results confirm the widespread prevalence and clinical significance of combat insomnia and lay the foundation for further therapeutic, diagnostic, and rehabilitative strategies tailored to wartime realities.