Do you need a referral for insomnia management?

Insomnia can involve difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night, waking too early, or feeling unrefreshed despite having time to sleep. Assessment looks beyond bedtime habits. Your clinician may ask about stress, mood, pain, medicines, caffeine, breathing during sleep, restless legs, and your daytime alertness.

Management may include a structured sleep plan and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. Clinical psychology can provide focused therapy, while another referral may be considered if snoring, breathing pauses, unusual movements, or another sleep disorder needs assessment.

Keep a brief sleep diary before your appointment: note bedtime, estimated time to fall asleep, awakenings, final waking time, naps, and how you felt during the day. Take a list of medicines and supplements, because some can disturb sleep or cause daytime drowsiness.

Use a consistent wake time, keep the bedroom suitable for sleep, and avoid relying on alcohol as a sleep aid. Do not stop prescribed medicines suddenly; discuss possible sleep effects with a clinician.

Arrange prompt medical review if poor sleep is accompanied by thoughts of self-harm, severe mood change, confusion, dangerous daytime sleepiness, or breathing pauses noticed by another person. Do not drive or operate machinery if you are struggling to stay awake.

Ask what may be disrupting your sleep, whether cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia fits your situation, whether any medicine needs review, and what would make a clinical psychology or sleep-service referral useful.