Sleep Problems

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Diagnosis & Tests

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you think you have a sleep problem.

Medical Assessment

A healthcare professional will review your medical history and may give you a questionnaire. They may ask you questions related to:

  • Sleep and breathing pattern
  • Naps
  • Medications, herbal treatments, and supplements
  • Tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use
  • Pain
  • Toilet use at night
  • Recent upsetting events 

The healthcare professional will do a physical exam and may order lab tests. If you urinate frequently, you might need to have tests for bladder, kidney, or prostate conditions or for diabetes. 

Keeping a Sleep Diary

Your healthcare provider may also ask you to keep a sleep diary for a week or two to record your sleep patterns and how rested you feel.

Tests for Sleep Apnea

If your healthcare professional thinks you may have sleep apnea or other diseases affecting sleep, they may order tests for these problems. One type of test, a polysomnography, measures what happens to a person’s body during nighttime sleep.

 

Last Updated January 2023

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