The short answer
The commonest sleep problems are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea and restless legs, along with the body-clock problems caused by shift work and jet lag. Insomnia is best treated with CBT for insomnia rather than pills. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing, or heavy daytime sleepiness, can mean sleep apnoea, which needs a GP referral and is very treatable.
On this page
Which sleep problem do you have?
| If you mainly… | It may be | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Struggle to get to sleep, stay asleep or wake too early, most nights | Insomnia | Insomnia |
| Snore loudly, gasp or stop breathing in your sleep, and feel exhausted in the day | Obstructive sleep apnoea | Sleep apnoea and snoring |
| Feel an urge to move your legs in the evening, eased by moving | Restless legs syndrome | Restless legs |
| Sleep badly around night or early shifts | Shift work sleep problems | Shift work |
| Sleep at the wrong times after a long flight | Jet lag | Jet lag |
Many people have more than one. Sleep apnoea can cause broken sleep that looks like insomnia, and anxiety, depression and pain all make sleep worse. If you’re not sure, see when to see a GP.
How common are they?
Very. In a UK study that followed 2,363 adults from five GP practices in Staffordshire, 37% reported insomnia symptoms, and about 15% of those without insomnia developed it within a year, while most people who had it still had it a year later. Obstructive sleep apnoea is less obvious but also common: one global estimate suggests nearly 1 billion adults aged 30 to 69 have at least mild sleep apnoea, many of them undiagnosed.
What treatments work?
- Insomnia: CBT for insomnia is the first treatment NICE recommends. A review of 20 trials found it helped people fall asleep about 19 minutes faster and spend 26 fewer minutes awake at night. Sleeping pills are only for short-term use.
- Sleep apnoea: losing weight and cutting alcohol help, and CPAP, a machine that keeps the airway open with gentle air pressure, works well for moderate and severe cases. It’s free on the NHS.
- Restless legs: treating low iron often helps, and there are medicines for severe cases.
- Shift work and jet lag: timing light, sleep and naps to shift the body clock.
In this section
- Insomnia: causes, self-help and treatment in the UK
What insomnia is, why it becomes long-term, what you can do yourself, and what the NHS offers, from CBT for insomnia to short courses of sleeping pills.
- CBT for insomnia: how it works and how to get it on the NHS
What CBT for insomnia involves, including sleep restriction and stimulus control, how well it works in trials, and how to get it through the NHS or an app.
Strong - Sleep apnoea and snoring: signs, tests and treatment
How to tell ordinary snoring from obstructive sleep apnoea, why apnoea matters, how the NHS tests for it, CPAP and other treatments, and the DVLA rules.
- Restless legs syndrome: causes, self-help and treatment
What restless legs syndrome feels like, its links with iron, pregnancy and kidney disease, what you can do yourself and the treatments a GP may offer.
- Shift work and sleep: how to sleep after night shifts
Why night and early shifts disrupt sleep, the health risks linked to shift work, and practical ways to sleep around a rota, using light, naps and caffeine.
- Jet lag: how to reduce it and recover faster
Why jet lag happens, why flying east is usually harder, how to adjust using light, sleep and meal times, and what the evidence says about melatonin.
- When to see a GP about sleep problems
The signs that a sleep problem needs a doctor, what to take to your appointment, what a GP can offer, and when to get urgent help.
Common questions
How do I know if I have a sleep disorder?
Signs worth taking seriously are trouble sleeping on most nights for three months or more, someone noticing you stop breathing or gasp in your sleep, falling asleep in the day without meaning to, or an urge to move your legs that keeps you awake. A GP can assess you and refer you to a sleep clinic if needed.
What does a sleep clinic do?
Sleep clinics diagnose and treat sleep disorders. For suspected sleep apnoea you'll usually be given a small monitor to wear at home overnight. For other problems you may have an overnight study in the clinic. You need a GP referral for NHS sleep clinics.
References
- Morphy H et al. Epidemiology of insomnia: a longitudinal study in a UK population. Sleep, 2007.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Benjafield AV et al. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis. Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2019.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Trauer JM et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2015.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- NHS. Insomnia.nhs.uk
- NHS. Sleep apnoea.nhs.uk
First published 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.