Trouble Falling Asleep, Waking at Night or Waking Too Early: Start with How You Feel

Which of these common experiences feels familiar?

These descriptions help put sleep experiences into words, and several may occur together. What matters is how long they have been happening and how you feel the next day.

• Difficulty falling asleep: you have allowed time to rest, but lie awake for a long time.
• Waking at night: you find it difficult to fall asleep again after waking.
• Waking too early: you wake earlier than intended and cannot get back to sleep.
• Not feeling refreshed: tiredness, poor concentration or a mood that is more easily affected the next day.

Reference: NHS: insomnia symptoms, everyday care and getting help

Too little time to sleep, or time available but unable to sleep?

If work, caring for family or your schedule leaves too little time to sleep, the first step is making room for rest. If you have enough time and a suitable setting but repeatedly sleep poorly, it is worth exploring why.

Stress, caffeine, alcohol, shift work, pain and some medicines can affect sleep. Record the circumstances without rushing to label yourself.

Reference: NHS: insomnia symptoms, everyday care and getting help

Spend one to two weeks getting to know your rhythm

Take a minute or two each morning to record an approximate picture. There is no need to keep checking the clock at night or account for every minute.

• When you went to bed, roughly how long it took to fall asleep and when you got up.
• Whether you woke at night and how easily you fell asleep again.
• Approximate times of naps, coffee or tea, alcohol and exercise.
• Your energy and concentration the next day, and anything that has been on your mind.

Reference: US NIH: insomnia assessment and sleep diaries

When is it time for the next step?

If sleep difficulties persist or make daily life hard to manage, take your notes to a doctor. Assessing chronic insomnia commonly involves symptoms on at least three nights a week for at least three months, but you do not need to wait three months to seek help if you are struggling.

References: NHS: insomnia symptoms, everyday care and getting help · US NIH: insomnia assessment and sleep diaries