You should consider visiting your GP if you’re finding it difficult to get to sleep or to stay asleep and it’s affecting your daily life.
Investigating the problem
You’re likely to be asked about your sleeping routines, how much alcohol and caffeine you drink each day, and your general lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise.
Your GP will also check your medical history for any illness or medication that may be contributing to your insomnia.
Keeping a sleep diary (see below), can help you and your GP understand the pattern of your insomnia, which may help to decide the method of treatment.
Read more about how insomnia is treated.
Keeping a sleep diary
You should keep a sleep diary for a minimum of two weeks. It should record information such as:
- the time you go bed
- the time it takes to get to sleep
- the number of times that you wake up during the night
- the time at which you wake up
- episodes of daytime tiredness and naps
- the times of meals, alcohol consumption and significant events during the day, such as exercise and stress
