When sleep problems need professional care

Better sleep habits can help, but they cannot treat every sleep problem.

Talk with a healthcare professional if trouble falling or staying asleep happens at least three nights a week for about three months and affects your days. A treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, has stronger evidence for ongoing insomnia than simply adding more sleep rules.

Loud snoring with daytime sleepiness, gasping, pauses in breathing, consistently waking unrefreshed, or sleepiness that makes driving or work unsafe also deserve professional attention.

Asking for help is not a failure. It is the right next step when a general wellness change is unlikely to solve the problem.

Sources

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Insomnia Diagnosis. Reviewed March 24, 2022.
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep Apnea Symptoms. Reviewed January 9, 2025.
• American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Behavioral and Psychological Treatments for Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults. 2021.