Insomnia and sleep problems

What it can feel like

• Being exhausted but more alert once you get into bed
• Watching the clock and becoming anxious about the next day
• Repeated waking, early waking, or unrefreshing sleep
• Daytime fatigue, irritability, errors, headaches, or poor concentration

What an evaluation considers

A clinician considers schedule, breathing pauses, restless legs, pain, menopause, mood, anxiety, substances, caffeine, medications, shift work, and unusually high energy with less sleep.

First steps

Keep a consistent wake time, use the bed for sleep rather than prolonged wakefulness, reduce late caffeine and alcohol, get morning light, and discuss persistent insomnia with a clinician.