Common symptoms
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Snoring or witnessed pauses
- Morning headache
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor concentration or irritability
Risk factors
- Obesity or nasal obstruction
- Irregular work schedules
- Anxiety, depression or pain
- Alcohol, caffeine or medicines
- Heart, lung or neurological illness
When to consult a doctor
- Symptoms persist, recur or affect daily life
- A test report is abnormal or difficult to interpret
- Current treatment is not working or causes side effects
- Several health conditions or medicines need coordination
How the condition is assessed
Schedule, sleep opportunity, breathing, medicines, caffeine, alcohol, mood and medical conditions are reviewed. A diary or questionnaire may help.
Possible investigations
- Often none for primary insomnia
- Targeted tests for contributing conditions
- Sleep study for suspected apnoea
- Sleep, ENT, respiratory or mental-health referral
Tests are selected according to symptoms, examination and individual risk. Not every person needs every investigation listed.
General treatment approach
Treatment addresses the cause and may include behavioural sleep therapy, schedule changes, treatment of pain or mood, medicine review or sleep-apnoea management.
Lifestyle considerations
- Keep a consistent wake time
- Use bed for sleep rather than prolonged wakefulness
- Limit late caffeine, alcohol and bright screens
- Do not drive when dangerously sleepy
Warning signs requiring urgent care
- Severe sleepiness while driving
- Breathing pauses with severe distress
- Sleep loss with mania, psychosis or self-harm thoughts
- Sudden neurological symptoms
If a warning sign is present, do not wait for a routine appointment. Seek urgent assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Are sleeping pills the main treatment?+
Usually not. Behavioural treatment and addressing causes are often more durable.
Can snoring be harmless?+
Sometimes, but pauses, choking or sleepiness need assessment.
