Sleep disorder, unspecified

G47.9 · Sleep

Clinical description

Sleep disorder, unspecified. ICD-10: G47.9. Disorders of sleep quality, timing, or breathing — often linked to fatigue and cognitive work limits.

ICD-10 classification¹

Work & claim impact

Hover highlighted terms for claim context · ? for more info

Document how symptoms limit material duties — attendance, stamina, cognition, safety, and reliability.

Functional capacity Date trap

Claim note: Insurers test occupational incapacity — document how it blocks material duties , not the diagnosis label ↗ alone.

Examples

For Sleep disorder, unspecified: cannot perform [your core duty] because insomnia and broken sleep.
Duty link: cannot start work before 10:00 because broken sleep leaves unrefreshed cognition for decisions.

Diagnosis trap Symptom → duty Material duties Incapacity Diagnosis vs duty Functional capacity builder · Language map

Category context

Disorders of sleep quality, timing, or breathing — often linked to fatigue and cognitive work limits.

Common symptoms (story builder)

Hover for a plain-language explanation · + adds to your health story.

Insomnia Broken sleep Fatigue Daytime sleepiness

Relevant specialists & assessors

Treating and assessing roles commonly involved with this condition on SA income-protection claims — click a role to see what they do.^†

General Practitioner (GP) Medical doctor Primary care doctor — first point for sick notes, referrals, and ongoing treatment. What they do → Psychiatrist Mental health Medical doctor specialising in mental illness — can diagnose, prescribe, and admit. What they do → Clinical Psychologist Mental health HPCSA-registered psychologist — assessment, therapy, and reports (cannot prescribe scheduled medicine). What they do → Sleep Laboratory Diagnostics Sleep study centre — insomnia, sleep apnoea evidence. What they do → Independent Medical Examiner (IME) Assessor Assessor Insurer- or employer-appointed assessor — not treating doctor. What they do →

Full clinicians & practices directory →

Linked medications (SA)

Generic active ingredients, registered brand formulations, SA strengths, and typical dosing — cross-linked to medication pages.^†

Amitriptyline

4 SA brands Schedule 5 ℹ

Tricyclic antidepressant — low doses often used for nerve pain, migraine prevention, or sleep.

Brands: Amitriptyline, Trepiline (amitriptyline), Trepiline (low-dose amitriptyline), Elavil (amitriptyline)

SA strengths: 10 mg tablet · 25 mg tablet · 50 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Pain/sleep: 10–25 mg nocte; depression: higher divided doses under supervision.

Alprazolam

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Short-acting benzodiazepine — dependence risk; insurers query long-term use.

Brands: Xanor (alprazolam)

SA strengths: 0.25 mg tablet · 0.5 mg tablet · 1 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Short courses only; typical 0.25–0.5 mg TDS PRN per strict supervision.

Clonazepam

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Short-term anxiety/sleep drug — dependence risk; insurers may query long-term use.

Brands: Rivotril (clonazepam)

SA strengths: 0.5 mg tablet · 2 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Lorazepam

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Short-term anxiety/sleep drug — dependence risk; insurers may query long-term use.

Brands: Ativan (lorazepam)

SA strengths: 1 mg tablet · 2 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Diazepam

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Short-term anxiety/sleep drug — dependence risk; insurers may query long-term use.

Brands: Valium (diazepam)

SA strengths: 5 mg tablet · 10 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Zolpidem

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotic — morning sedation and complex sleep behaviours are risks.

Brands: Stilnox (zolpidem)

SA strengths: 10 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: 10 mg nocte immediately before bed; 5 mg in elderly.

Zopiclone

1 SA brand Schedule 8 ℹ

Cyclopyrrolone hypnotic — metallic taste common; short-term insomnia treatment.

Brands: Imovane (zopiclone)

SA strengths: 7.5 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: 7.5 mg nocte; 3.75 mg in elderly or hepatic impairment.

Cyanocobalamin

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Vitamins/minerals — document if prescribed for diagnosed deficiency.

Brands: Vitamin B12 injection

SA strengths: 1 mg/mL injection ampoule

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Iron

1 SA brand Schedule 0 ℹ

Vitamins/minerals — document if prescribed for diagnosed deficiency.

Brands: Ferrous sulphate (iron)

SA strengths: 200 mg ferrous sulphate tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Cholecalciferol

1 SA brand Schedule 0 ℹ

Vitamins/minerals — document if prescribed for diagnosed deficiency.

Brands: Vitamin D

SA strengths: 1 000 IU capsule · 2 000 IU capsule · 50 000 IU capsule

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Linked therapy

Session-based referrals — not medicines. Separate from linked medications above; still evidence for functional capacity and recovery. Therapy directory → · Not scheduled →^†

Psychotherapy / CBT

Psychotherapy & counselling Not scheduled ℹ

Structured talking therapy (e.g. CBT) for mental health and adjustment.

Session formats: 50 min session · 60 min session

Typical plan: Typically 50–60 min weekly or fortnightly sessions.

Common causes or triggers

Typical precipitants seen in SA income-protection claims — hover labels for context; use ? for claim tips. ^†

Circadian disruption
Shift work
Employer BP checks and insurer disability tests use different standards. Capture dates when monitoring requirements conflicted with attendance or safety duties.

Trap detail →
, jet lag, or irregular sleep hygiene — affects safety-critical and cognitive roles.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Comorbid mental health
Anxiety and depression commonly co-occur — treat sleep as part of a wider functional picture.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Multifactorial contributors
Genetic, environmental, and work factors often combine — build a chronology rather than a single cause label.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

Comorbidities or complicating factors

Conditions that often overlap and amplify functional limits — pair with specialist reports and your functional matrix. ^†

Depression or anxiety
Insomnia is often secondary — treating underlying mood may be insurer argument; document independent sleep pathology where present.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Overlapping conditions
Check for mood, sleep, pain, or metabolic comorbidity that amplifies functional limits.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

References for therapy

Guideline themes and evidence sources to pair with your treating plan — for claims context, not prescribing advice.^†

CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) NICE NG202

First-line for chronic insomnia before long-term hypnotics; document sleep diary and work start-time impact.

Open reference ↗
CBT for depression and anxiety NICE CG90 (adapted SA practice)

Structured talking therapy — first-line alongside medication for many mood and anxiety disorders; document session frequency and functional goals.

Open reference ↗
Independent medical examination (IME) context ClaimBuddy curated

Assessor is not your treating doctor — prepare material duties, chronology, and treating specialist reports separately.

References & footnotes

ICD-10 code and condition label follow WHO ICD-10 classification. WHO ICD-10
Work-impact notes describe functional themes insurers probe — pair with material-duty mapping in your claim file. ClaimBuddy curated
Condition–medication links are therapeutic associations common in SA income-protection claims, not mandatory treatment pathways. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Specialist and assessor roles are typical for this condition in SA income-protection claims — not an exhaustive list of who may treat you. ClaimBuddy curated
Linked therapies are common non-drug interventions — cross-referenced to atlas therapy pages; insurer funding may differ from clinical appropriateness. ClaimBuddy curated
Therapy references summarise guideline themes for claims context — not prescribing advice; pair with your treating clinician's plan. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Causes, triggers, and comorbidity notes are claims-context summaries — not diagnostic criteria; pair with treating records and specialist opinion. WHO ICD-10; ClaimBuddy curated

Where this data comes from

ClaimBuddy collates SA-market brand names and strengths for intake — always verify against your script and clinician.

WHO ICD-10 — Condition names and ICD-10-CM codes in the condition index.
SAHPRA — South African medicine registration context; brand products must be SAHPRA-registered to be dispensed.
MIMS / SA package inserts — Registered strengths, formulations, and typical dosing ranges for SA market products.
SA Essential Medicines List (EML) — Public-sector formulary context for commonly available strengths.
ClaimBuddy curated — SA brand name collation from intake presets, claim-frequency mapping, and work-impact notes — not a substitute for prescribing information.

Language map — diagnosis vs incapacity →

Sentrix Digital, Melbourne · ABN 29 203 554 753. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Organisation and drafting only. Verify with treating practitioners, the PDS, and the trustee/insurer. Australian complaints: insurer/trustee IDR, then AFCA. · info@sentrixdigital.com · +61 (03) 9088 1341 · Admin login