Insomnia Diagnosis

Keeping a detailed sleep history or sleep diary can help a physician identify factors related to insomnia and whether other sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome or narcolepsy) are the cause of the insomnia.

To keep a sleep diary, keep track of the time you go to bed each night, when you wake up during the night, how long you are awake, and what time you arise in the morning.

You should also note things that might be affecting your sleep, such as your diet, your mood, and your environment. It may be helpful to have a physical examination and a sleep test as well.

Sleep questionnaires to determine insomnia

A number of sleep questionnaires are available to determine whether the patient has insomnia or not. The doctor can ask questions like:

• How long sleep problem is present?
• How long does it take to fall asleep?
• How restful is sleep?
• Is there any trouble in falling asleep?
• How is the sleep environment?
• How much alcohol is consumed daily?
• What are the medications that are taken for other medical conditions?
• What are the emotional or stress factors that are present?
• Are there any symptoms like snoring, cramping or crawling feeling in the legs and gasping for breathe during sleep?

Keeping a sleep diary is helpful to answer these questions. A bed partner can also help to add their observations of the patient’s sleep behavior.

Insomnia complications:

Increased accident rate: Accidents at home, at work and on road can result due to insomnia. Fatigue due to insomnia plays an important role in machinery and automobile accidents.

Mental function impairment: A person’s memory and concentration are affected with insomnia and it decreases the ability to perform daily tasks.

Premature deaths: Due to poor sleep, people take sleeping pills regularly and therefore result in lower survival rates than general population who do not take sleeping pills.

Heart disease: Severe insomnia can produce activity within the heart and nervous system that, in turn, can lead to heart disease.