History taking and assessment of your personal and medical problems is essential, as is an assessment of your diet, lifestyle and general sleep patterns. All these things help to form a picture of what is causing your symptoms of sleep disturbance or sleep anxiety.

Observation of your sleep patterns under laboratory supervision is ultimately informative if available and if the problem is chronic enough to warrant such investigation.

Noting down any mood changes or irritability you experience and keeping a diary of your sleep patterns are all helpful in diagnosing the problem and its causes.