What Should I Do If I Can’t  Sleep?

It’s important to practice good sleep hygiene, but if your sleep problems persist or if they interfere with how you feel or function during the day, you should seek evaluation and treatment by a physician, preferably one familiar with assessing and treating sleep disorders. Before visiting your physician, keep a diary of your sleep habits for about ten days to discuss at the visit.

Include the following in your sleep diary, when you—

• Go to bed.
• Go to sleep.
• Wake up.
• Get out of bed.
• Take naps.
• Exercise.
• Consume alcohol.
• Consume caffeinated beverages.

See an example of a sleep diary [PDF 579K].