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Family Library · Topic guide

Sleep difficulties: help for you and your family

Sleep difficulties can mean trouble falling asleep, waking repeatedly or waking too early, often with tiredness or poor concentration during the day.

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A difficult night or a continuing problem?

An occasional poor night is common. Repeated poor sleep matters when it affects how you feel and function during the day; an exact hour count is not the whole picture.

What can disturb sleep?

Worry, shift work, pain, some medicines, caffeine, alcohol and an uncomfortable sleeping environment can contribute. More than one factor may be involved.

Start with a routine you can sustain

Try a consistent waking time and a calm wind-down period. Make the sleeping space as comfortable as circumstances allow and review late caffeine.

If worries return at bedtime, try writing them down earlier and talking them through with someone you trust.

When to arrange an assessment

Seek help when sleep is making daily life difficult or changes to your routine have not helped. Treatment may include cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.

Breathing pauses, gasping during sleep or persistent daytime sleepiness need medical assessment. Do not treat these as a bedtime-habit problem alone.

Other family topics

Memory changes: a starting point for families · Support for the person doing the caring · Anxiety and panic: understanding what is happening · Low mood, connection and staying safe

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Common questions

Does everyone need eight hours?

No. Many adults need around seven to nine hours, but needs vary. Daytime functioning also matters, and children usually need more sleep.

Should I start sleeping tablets myself?

Speak with a clinician before taking a sleep aid. Some cause next-day drowsiness or dependence, and they do not address every cause of poor sleep.

My partner snores and seems to stop breathing. What next?

Arrange a medical assessment. Breathing pauses, choking or gasping can be signs of sleep apnoea, which needs specific assessment and care.

What if better sleep habits have not helped?

Ask about assessment and treatment rather than blaming yourself. Cognitive behavioural therapy can address thoughts and behaviours that keep insomnia going.

What can I do about worries at bedtime?

Try setting aside time before bed to write down worries and next-day tasks, followed by a quiet wind-down routine.

Something practical

Try a two-minute grounding pause · Keep a private sleep diary

Sources