By Erika Manis, MD
Daniel J. and Maria H. Sak Sleep Wellness Center
Do you frequently have trouble falling or staying asleep? Taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep or being awake for more than 30 minutes after falling asleep may be abnormal when persistent and associated with daytime impairment such as fatigue.
A discussion with a healthcare professional can help first assess for frequent comorbid sleep or psychiatric disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, or substance use that could be causative or contributory. Other known risk factors for insomnia are female gender and family history.
Evaluation may include a sleep study depending on information revealed from a detailed history, including a review of medication and a physical exam. You will likely be asked to keep a sleep diary and/or wear an actigraph (if available), which is similar to a wearable fitness tracker. This is used, in part, to look for sleep patterns that may represent a circadian rhythm disorder that would be approached differently.
