Stage 4 · Lesson 7 of 7

When sleep problems need a doctor

Most sleep trouble improves with better habits. Some does not, and needs a doctor. See a GP or doctor if you have had trouble falling or staying asleep for several weeks despite good habits, if poor sleep is affecting your studies, work or mood, if you snore loudly and wake gasping or feel exhausted even after a full night, or if you are sleeping far more than usual and still feel tired.

Persistent insomnia has effective treatments, and a form of therapy called CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) is often recommended before medication. Do not start sleeping pills or other medication without a doctor, including ones friends or family offer.

Changes in sleep can also be a sign of depression or anxiety, which is another reason to get checked.

Common trapaccepting months of bad sleep as normal.

A question to check yourself come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it

Resources for this stage

Start with

GuideFree
Mental Health at Work (WHO fact sheet)
World Health Organization
What WHO says about work, stress and burnout, and what employers should do

Practise

Insight Timer
Free sleep and wind-down recordings for your evening routine

Keep handy

NHS Every Mind Matters
Practical NHS tips on sleep and on managing stress before it becomes burnout

Also worth your time

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle (Emily and Amelia Nagoski)ReadPaid
Why stress needs to be completed in the body, and how to do it, with research behind it

Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).