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Insomnia

Trouble falling or staying asleep. Common, with effective, lasting treatments.

Speak to a GP about insomniaFrom £79

In short

Insomnia is very common and highly treatable. The most effective long-term approach is CBT for insomnia, not sleeping tablets. A GP can assess the cause, guide you to the right treatment, and manage any underlying condition.

Overview

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is regular difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking unrefreshed, despite the chance to sleep, with an impact on your day. It can be short-term (often from stress) or long-term. Because sleep is affected by many things, the key is finding and treating the cause, with CBT-I as the first-line treatment.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking often during the night or too early
  • Lying awake worrying about sleep
  • Daytime tiredness, poor concentration, or low mood
  • Relying on alcohol or tablets to get to sleep

When to act

When to see a doctor

Book a GP if poor sleep has lasted more than a few weeks, is affecting your day, or you're relying on alcohol or tablets to sleep. Seek assessment for loud snoring with breathing pauses and heavy daytime sleepiness.

When to seek urgent help

Seek urgent help if

  • Loud snoring with pauses in breathing and severe daytime sleepiness (possible sleep apnoea, needs assessment)
  • Falling asleep while driving or operating machinery
  • Insomnia with significant low mood or thoughts of self-harm (use crisis resources)

Call 999 for life-threatening emergencies or NHS 111 for urgent non-emergency advice.

Treatment

How a private GP can help

  • An assessment of your sleep pattern and the factors affecting it
  • Evidence-based advice and referral for CBT for insomnia (CBT-I), the most effective long-term treatment
  • Review of caffeine, alcohol, screens, shift work, and sleep routine
  • Checking for underlying causes (stress, anxiety, depression, pain, or physical conditions)
  • Short-term sleep medication only where clearly appropriate, and never long-term
  • Treatment or referral for any underlying condition found

What we don't do

  • Long-term sleeping tablets or controlled sedatives
  • Sleep studies and specialist sleep clinic care (referred on)

Pricing

What it costs

An online consultation about insomnia starts at £79 for a 20-minute video appointment. In-pharmacy consultations are £129 and home visits are £189. Your consultation includes one private prescription if appropriate, and a sick note for work if needed. You pay the pharmacy separately for any medication.

See full pricing breakdown

FAQ

Common questions about insomnia

What's the best treatment for insomnia?
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the most effective long-term treatment and is recommended before sleeping tablets. We can guide you to it and address any underlying causes.
Will you prescribe sleeping tablets?
Only short-term and where clearly appropriate. Sleeping tablets (such as Z-drugs and benzodiazepines) are habit-forming and lose effectiveness, so they're not a long-term answer, and some are controlled drugs we don't prescribe.
Could something else be causing it?
Often. Stress, anxiety, depression, pain, menopause, and conditions like sleep apnoea can all disrupt sleep. Treating the cause usually helps the sleep.
How much sleep do I actually need?
Most adults need around 7-9 hours, but it varies. Quality and how you feel in the day matter more than hitting an exact number.
See all conditions we can help with

Ready to talk to a GP about insomnia?

Message Emily on WhatsApp or book online in under 90 seconds. UK-registered doctors, available today.

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