Learn, sleep and mental health
Insomnia means you often find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, and you feel tired in the day. Changing sleep habits helps many people. For sleep problems that last, a talking therapy called CBT for insomnia is usually the first choice.
Get emergency help now if you or someone else is in danger. This includes:
Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. See crisis lines.
Insomnia means you regularly have trouble with sleep. You may find it hard to fall asleep. You may wake often in the night, or wake too early and stay awake.
In the day, you may feel tired, cross or unable to focus. Insomnia that lasts three months or more is called long-term insomnia.
Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Needs differ from person to person. If you are tired all day, you may not be getting enough.
Stress, worry and low mood are among the most common causes. Noise, a room that is too hot, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, shift work and long-term pain can also play a part.
Some health problems affect sleep too. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing can be a sign of sleep apnoea, which is worth a check. Many medicines can also disturb sleep.
A short diary of your sleep and how you feel in the day can help a clinician see the pattern.
Small, steady changes to your sleep habits help many people. You do not need to do all of these at once. Pick two or three.
If you cannot sleep, get out of bed for a while. Do something calm in dim light. Go back when you feel sleepy.
CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) is a talking therapy built for sleep problems. It is usually the first treatment for long-term insomnia. It often runs for six to eight weeks. A doctor, nurse or therapist can guide it, in person or online.
It helps you change the thoughts and habits that keep you awake. It can include learning to relax, easing worry about sleep, and setting a fixed time in bed. It is more than a list of sleep tips.
If you have bipolar disorder, tell the person guiding CBT-I. Losing sleep can set off a high mood, so some steps may need to change.
Sleeping pills are a short-term choice, usually for a few days or weeks at most. They may be offered when sleep is very bad or other help has not worked.
Ask your prescriber about the risks. Some can lead to dependence. Some can leave you drowsy or unsteady the next day, which can make driving unsafe. Ask how long to take the medicine and when it will be reviewed.
Do not borrow someone else's sleeping pills. If you take sleeping pills now and want to stop, do not stop suddenly. Talk to your doctor about a plan to reduce them slowly.
Sleep aids from a pharmacy, including melatonin, can have side effects too. Check with a doctor before you take them.
Yes, a good plan starts from your life as it is. Shift work, caring for others, a shared room or a partner's hours can make standard advice hard. You can say what is out of your control and choose changes that are realistic.
Children's sleep needs and causes are different from adults'. Ask a doctor before giving a child any sleep aid. Our page on screens and children has more.
Sometimes poor sleep is a sign of another condition, and care for that condition may help sleep too. Racing thoughts and worry at night can be part of anxiety. Sleeping far more than usual, with low mood, can be part of depression.
A sudden drop in your need for sleep, with lots of energy, racing thoughts or unusual confidence, needs a prompt review. It can be a sign of a high mood in bipolar disorder.
See a doctor if new habits have not helped or poor sleep has lasted months. See one too if it makes daily life hard. You can also read about stress and sleep in Hindi: tension se mukti.
You can send a message through the contact page. The what to expect page explains how a first consultation runs. Fees are on the services page. Check the clinician, format, fee and whether the service fits your needs.
That's not a luxury. It's a basic need. If sleep problems have been part of your life for a long time, or if poor sleep is tangled with anxiety, low mood, or racing thoughts, a conversation might help.