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I've been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks. Should I see a health care professional?

If your sleep problems persist for longer than a week and are bothersome, or if sleepiness interferes with the way you feel or function during the day, a health care professional's help may be needed. To get the most out of your appointment, you'll find that it is helpful to keep a diary of your sleep habits for about 10 days to identify just how much sleep you're getting over time and what you may be doing to interfere with it.

How much sleep do I need each night?

The amount of sleep you need is highly individualized. Some people do well on six hours a night; others need nine. The average adult needs about eight hours of sleep each night. You need as much sleep as it takes to maintain optimal alertness while awake.

Are sleeping pills effective or harmful?

Over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medicines are not usually recommended for the treatment of chronic insomnia. For transient (occasional) insomnia—typically caused by jet lag or some other temporary sleep disruption—OTCs may help. However, if you feel that ongoing sleep disruption negatively affects your health or performance, you should see a health care professional who can prescribe the best course of treatment for you.

My partner snores loudly. Should I be concerned?

Yes. Loud and excessive snoring, especially if a person is overweight or has high blood pressure, is often accompanied by sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally understood. People who suffer from sleep apnea may stop breathing for brief periods up to several hundred times per night. Sleep apnea raises a person's risk for heart attack and stroke.

I am so tired during the day, even after a full night's sleep, that I fall asleep at odd times and have even fallen asleep behind the wheel of a car. Does this mean I'll never be able to drive again?

Treating the cause of your excessive daytime sleepiness should return you to normal functioning. Discuss your symptoms with your health care professional and consider consulting with a sleep specialist, if appropriate. Refrain from driving until your condition has been diagnosed and effective treatment initiated. Patients with untreated sleep disorders have a significantly increased rate of motor vehicle accidents.

Do people need less sleep as they grow older?

No. As a woman gets older, she doesn't need less sleep, but she often gets less sleep. That's because her ability to sleep for long periods of time and to get into the deep restful stages of sleep decrease with age. Older women have more fragile sleep and are more easily disturbed by light, noise and pain. They also may have medical conditions that contribute to sleep problems. Going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning, getting exposure to natural outdoor light during the day and sleeping in a cool, dark, quiet place at night may help.

What's the first step in getting treatment for a sleep disorder?

If you are having a chronic problem with sleeplessness or excessive sleepiness, consult a health care professional to discuss your symptoms. He or she can screen you for other illnesses and refer you to specialists who can diagnose sleep disorders.

When are people naturally most sleepy?

Our bodies are programmed by our biological clock to experience two natural periods of sleepiness during the 24-hour day, regardless of the amount of sleep we've had in the previous 24 hours. The primary period is between about midnight and 7 a.m. A second period of less intense sleepiness is in the mid-afternoon, between about 1 and 3 p.m.

I have just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). What can I do about the debilitating fatigue?

Recent studies have shown that modafinil (Provigil) can help treat the fatigue associated with MS. You may want to discuss this medication with your health care professional to see if it's an option for you. Other options to manage fatigue include lifestyle adjustments, such as energy conservation adjustments. This technique encourages you to review which activities and/or responsibilities during the day require more (or less) energy and then plan for them by conserving energy where you can, so expending it where it's really needed won't be so exhausting. Aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) and making sure you get enough sleep (and refreshing sleep) are other fatigue management suggestions.