Sleep Diaries
Keeping a sleep diary may be helpful in discussing your daily patterns with your doctor or sleep specialist. The information in your diary gives your health care professional clues about what is causing your problem and how to correct it.
A sleep diary records information about your sleep routine and daily life activities that can affect your sleep. Your doctor can give you a diary, or you can download one here. Whichever version you choose to use, a sleep diary should track:
What time you went to bed each night
What time you got up in the morning
How many times you woke up during the night
Whether you felt rested when you woke up
If you took naps during the day
Whether you felt sleepy or rested throughout the day
Once your doctor or sleep specialist has reviewed your sleep diary and given you a sleep questionnaire, he or she may determine that a sleep study is the most important next step.
