Sleep Disorders: Diagnosing Insomnia

Sleep disorder tests are often used to diagnose insomnia. If you think you have insomnia, talk to your health care provider. He or she will likely perform a physical exam and take a medical and sleep history to determine the cause of your sleep problem. Further tests may be required.

What Your Doctor Is Looking For

During the doctor exam, your doctor will seek to identify any medical or psychological illness that may be contributing to your insomnia. For example, you may be asked about chronic snoring and recent weight gain, which might suggest sleep apnea as the cause of insomnia.

Diagnostic Tests Used

• Sleep Diary: Your doctor may ask you to keep a sleep diary for a few weeks as a way to better understand your sleep patterns.
• Epworth Sleepiness Scale: a validated questionnaire that is used to assess daytime sleepiness.
• Polysomnogram: a test measuring activity during sleep.
• Actigraphy: a test to assess sleep-wake patterns over time. Actigraphs are small, wrist-worn devices (about the size of a wristwatch) that measure movement.
• Mental Health Exam: Because insomnia may be a symptom of depression, anxiety, or another mental health disorder, a mental status examination, mental health history, and basic mental evaluations may be part of your initial assessment.