Some nights, waking up exhausted has nothing to do with sleep. Sometimes, however, poor-quality or interrupted sleep is the source of daytime exhaustion. Sleep problems vary widely. One person’s issue could have little in common with another’s, so general sleep improvement advice found online may not apply to you.

Signs It May Be Time to Seek an Assessment

Sleep problems have the potential to affect every area of life. Fatigue interferes with work, mood, concentration, relationships, driving, and more. Seek support when poor-quality or interrupted sleep persists for weeks, especially when it has noticeable effects on energy and alertness during the day. You can check this page to learn more. Other signs that sleep problems deserve professional support include:

• Snoring loudly enough to disturb your partner, waking up with a dry or sore throat, or being awakened by a sensation of choking or shortness of breath
• Waking up frequently, particularly with a racing heart
• Feeling like you are not getting adequate sleep no matter how long you’re in bed
• Struggling to stay awake during times of little stimulation

When Symptoms Aren’t Consistent

Symptoms don’t always occur night after night. Sleep problems could manifest in the form of longer-than-usual trouble falling asleep, inability to go back to sleep after waking up during the night, restless, uncomfortable, or painful sensations in the legs at rest, sleepwalking, acting out dreams, or other unusual symptoms. If you’ve been struggling with poor-quality or interrupted sleep that leaves you tired, unfocused, irritable, or otherwise symptomatic, consider whether sleep may be the culprit.

It’s easy to write off gradually decreasing motivation, patience, or memory as stress or normal changes in life, especially since most of us don’t witness what happens at night. Many people with obstructive sleep apnea (nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea), for example, don’t realize that they stop breathing frequently during sleep.

Preparing Useful Information Before Your Visit

Keep track of symptoms or circumstances that seem to influence sleep so you can describe them accurately to a clinician. A sleep diary can help; sleep assessment centres often ask patients to complete one in advance. Record bedtimes, wake-up times, trouble falling or staying asleep, how refreshing sleep feels, naps, alertness throughout the day, medications, and other relevant details for at least two weeks. Writing down symptoms for 14 days can help jog your memory. Try to pay attention to the following questions:

• How long does it take you to fall asleep? Do you struggle to stay asleep? Are you tired during the day? Do you have unusual sensations during sleep? Do you have restless, uncomfortable, or painful sensations in your legs at rest? Do you wake up with a racing heart? Does anyone else comment on your breathing during sleep? Are your symptoms related to medical problems or medications?
• Are your symptoms happening every night, or only when certain criteria are met? For example, does it happen when you’re stressed, travelling, taking medications, etc.?
• Are there changes in mood, energy, and alertness during the day that could be associated with poor-quality or interrupted sleep? Are you experiencing headaches when you wake up? Is anyone else noticing changes in your snoring, movement, breathing, etc.? Do you take any medications?

Why Daytime Symptoms Matter

It may be helpful to ask friends or family members whether they’ve noticed changes in your breathing, movement, mood, energy, or other behaviours. For those in the area, a sleep clinic near Université de Moncton can be one local reference to keep in mind. Bring a list of current medications to your appointment; some can interfere with sleep. It’s not just nighttime symptoms that should prompt consideration of sleep support; daytime symptoms are helpful indicators too. Feeling foggy or struggling to concentrate, remember, stay awake, etc., may signal disrupted or poor-quality sleep.

If you have a non-traditional schedule, such as rotating shifts, travel, or caring for a child at night, don’t try and impose an ideal routine ahead of your visit. Record what is typical for you, providing your clinician with the most accurate baseline.

Getting Clarity Instead of Guessing

Not all sleep issues call for the same solutions. Depending on your symptoms, a sleep assessment may reveal that your sleep would improve with behavioural, timing, and other changes. A monitored overnight sleep study or other form of home-based or in-lab testing might be called for. Your symptoms will help determine what kind of testing is most useful.

Different types of testing are used to collect different kinds of information. An appointment with a sleep centre doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be tested. It’s a place to start and can help rule out serious conditions like sleep apnea. The first appointment may include a detailed conversation about sleep and wake-up timing, daytime alertness, naps, energy, mood, medical history, medications, etc., followed by an appropriate course of action.

If you’ve been dealing with poor-quality or interrupted sleep for some time now, you may be tempted to ignore the problem and chalk it up to poor sleep habits. Before you settle for generic sleep hygiene advice, consider getting clarity about the root of your poor-quality or interrupted sleep so you can resolve it.