Mood disorders: reduced need for sleep versus insomnia: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Mood disorders: reduced need for sleep versus insomnia

Sample item

Two patients report sleeping four hours a night for a week. Patient A is exhausted all day and keeps trying to sleep. Patient B feels energetic, starts new projects and is surprised that anyone is concerned. Which statement is correct?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Patient B has a reduced need for sleep, which suggests mania or hypomania

In mania the need for sleep falls, so the person feels rested and energetic after little sleep. In insomnia the wish and need for sleep persist and the person is tired. This distinction is a useful bedside clue to a manic episode.

Option by option

  • A. Patient B has a reduced need for sleep, which suggests mania or hypomania (correct)

    Correct. Feeling energised after little sleep marks reduced need, a core manic feature.

  • B. Patient A has a reduced need for sleep

    Patient A is tired and wants to sleep, so this is insomnia, not reduced need.

  • C. Neither pattern has diagnostic value

    The difference matters and is a standard criterion for mania.

  • D. Both patients have insomnia

    Patient B is not distressed by lack of sleep, so this is not insomnia.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is A, Patient B has a reduced need for sleep, which suggests mania or hypomania. In mania the need for sleep falls, so the person feels rested and energetic after little sleep.

Why is "Patient A has a reduced need for sleep" not the answer?

Patient A is tired and wants to sleep, so this is insomnia, not reduced need.

Why is "Neither pattern has diagnostic value" not the answer?

The difference matters and is a standard criterion for mania.

Why is "Both patients have insomnia" not the answer?

Patient B is not distressed by lack of sleep, so this is not insomnia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders: reduced need for sleep versus insomnia in Psychiatry. In insomnia the wish and need for sleep persist and the person is tired. This distinction is a useful bedside clue to a manic episode.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mood disorders: reduced need for sleep versus insomnia?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.