Does mental health assessment treat insomnia?

The clinician may ask about your sleep schedule, time spent awake in bed, daytime tiredness, worries, mood, medicines, caffeine, alcohol and stressful events. They may also explore anxiety, depression, trauma or habits that make sleep more difficult. This conversation helps separate a sleep problem occurring on its own from insomnia linked with another concern. You may be offered practical sleep strategies, psychological therapy, a referral to a sleep service, or treatment for an underlying mental health condition. Read more about [Insomnia](/conditions/insomnia/) and [Mental Health Assessment](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/mental-health-assessment/).

Keep a short sleep diary before the appointment, noting bedtime, waking time, awakenings, naps and how alert you feel during the day. Bring a list of medicines and supplements, including anything taken to help you sleep. Keep your wake time regular, use the bed for sleep rather than prolonged worrying, and reduce stimulating drinks late in the day. Do not stop prescribed medicine suddenly; discuss possible sleep effects with the prescriber. An assessment is useful even when the cause of insomnia feels obvious because several factors can overlap.

Arrange medical help promptly if sleeplessness is affecting driving, work, safety or your ability to function. Seek urgent support if you feel unable to stay safe, have thoughts of harming yourself, or have gone for several nights with very little sleep alongside unusually high energy, racing thoughts or risky behaviour. Loud snoring with choking, severe breathing pauses, chest pain or sudden confusion also needs prompt assessment.

Could anxiety, low mood, medicine or another sleep disorder be contributing? Which treatment is appropriate for my pattern of insomnia? Would a sleep diary or referral help? How long should I try the recommended plan before we review it?