Mental Health

Sleep Disorder

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SLEEP AND MENTAL HEALTH

Poor sleep can be associated with anxiety or low mood and as these improve then sleep will usually improve. Even if poor sleep has not been caused by low mood or anxiety, taking steps to improve your sleep can help improve your mental wellbeing.

LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

Before considering any self-referral for local sleep support it is worth reading the section below on “frequently asked questions”.

LOCAL SLEEP SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO ANYONE OVER 18

From Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies
A face-to-face cognitive behavioural therapy course Insomnia support – NHS Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies

From Big Health
This is presently not available for many Buckinghamshire postcodes but that may change. It is available to a number of practices in Buckinghamshire that have a Slough postcode and other practices may be included so it is worth checking.
A popular and effective online sleep improvement program produced by Professor Colin Espie. Big Health | Helping millions back to good mental health

NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

NATIONAL HELPLINE

From The Sleep charity
“Who do I talk to if I can’t sleep?”
The National Sleep Helpline can help with your sleep problems. National Sleep Helpline – The Sleep Charity

FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP

Do you have a sleep problem?
Insomnia: general advice, including some dos and don’ts. Insomnia – NHS

SOME GENERAL ADVICE

From NHS Better Health
Sleep problems. This includes tips, a mind plan and a video. Sleep problems – Every Mind Matters – NHS

From the NHS
Sleep and tiredness: overview Sleep and tiredness – NHS 
Includes

From the NHS
Other problems with sleep

From Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Have produced multiple mental health self-help leaflets, of relevance here is the helpful leaflet on “Sleeping problems”. Self Help Leaflets – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust 

From the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Sleeping well Sleeping well | Royal College of Psychiatrists

From Patient info
Insomnia: includes general advice and a video on poor sleep and some discussion on medication. Insomnia (Poor Sleep) | How to sleep better | Causes & Treatment | Patient

From NICE
Have produced guidance for doctors on insomnia  Insomnia | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE and sleep disorders including shift work and jet lag Sleep disorders – shift work and jet lag | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE

ORGANISATIONS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING INFORMATION ON IMPROVING SLEEP – UK

From the Sleep charity
“The Sleep Charity produces a wide range of evidence-based information on all aspects of sleep from triggers to treatments.” Information for children, teenagers and adults
Information & Support  Information & Support – The Sleep Charity

ORGANISATIONS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING INFORMATION ON IMPROVING SLEEP – USA

The following websites are based in the USA and though some of the information such as on services and drugs recommended may differ from the UK, the general health information will be similar. 

From the Sleep Foundation
There are multiple articles on sleep health and sleep disorders Sleep Foundation | Better Sleep for a Better You
including on improving your sleep such as

From the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Patient information Patient Information | Sleep | American Academy of Sleep Medicine
This includes the AASM’s Sleep Education website which provides patient education information.

Stress, anxiety or depression can on occasions be a cause of sleep problems. Though much of the sleep advice has  been covered in the frequently asked questions already covered, here there is a greater focus on how sleep can relate to mental health and what steps can be taken.

From the NHS: Better Health Every Mind Matters
Sleep problems Sleep problems – Every Mind Matters – NHS

From Mind
How does sleep relate to mental health? Sleep and mental health – Mind

THE COMMON CAUSES OF TIREDNESS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

Tiredness is a very common reason to see a GP

As NHS Wales suggests
“Before you see a GP, you may want to work out how you became tired in the first place. It can be helpful to think about:

  • parts of your life, such as work and family, that might be particularly tiring
  • any events that may have triggered your tiredness, such as bereavement or a relationship break-up
  • how your lifestyle may be making you tired

A GP will look at the following causes of tiredness:

  • psychological causes
  • physical causes
  • lifestyle causes”
    “Tiredness and Fatigue” NHS 111 Wales website. Retrieved 8th January 2024.

The NHS website summarises some common causes of tiredness and fatigue

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND LIFESTYLE CAUSES

Psychological and lifestyle causes are often the cause of tiredness
As NICE (National institute of clinical excellence) suggest from various medical studies “fatigue is often associated with psychosocial stress, and may be caused by depression.” [Assessment | Diagnosis | Tiredness/fatigue in adults | CKS | NICE)].  In fact, one paper suggests: “About every fifth patient complaining of tiredness to the GP (general practitioner) suffers from a depressive disorder. A history targeted at mental health and psycho-social well-being is therefore of great importance.” The differential diagnosis of tiredness: a systematic review (Stadje, R. (2016)) The differential diagnosis of tiredness: a systematic review )

PHYSICAL CAUSES

Physical causes of tiredness though important to exclude are not the commonest causes of tiredness
Reassuringly it has been suggested in some papers that serious physical causes are not common ((Stadje, R. (2016))The differential diagnosis of tiredness: a systematic review 

“Our review shows that anaemia, malignancies and other serious somatic diseases are only very rarely found in fatigued primary care patients. Their prevalence rates hardly differ from non-fatigued patients.”

However, as Patient info suggest
Though “Most physical causes of tiredness will cause other symptoms. Some causes of tiredness (such as anaemia and hypothyroidism) may not cause any other symptoms apart from tiredness.” so you may need blood tests if your tiredness is not improving.

“You should definitely see a doctor if you feel tired and have lost weight without trying to. Also see a doctor if you have other symptoms as well as being tired, such as coughing up blood, a change in the way your guts are working, heavy periods or a lump somewhere it shouldn’t be.”
“Tiredness (Fatigue).” Patient info website. Retrieved 8th January 2024

From Patient info
Tiredness (Fatigue). Tiredness (Fatigue) | Exhaustion | Causes, Tests & Treatment | Patient

POSSIBLE BLOOD TESTS FOR PHYSICAL CAUSES

Despite physical causes not been common a GP will explore physical causes often including with blood tests
Some physical causes are already known to the patient (e.g., a long-term condition such as heart failure, COPD, and diabetes) but some physical conditions are new. Physical causes are explored in the following articles:

From the NHS
Physical causes for tiredness  Why am I tired all the time? – NHS 

From Patient info and NICE
Tiredness (Fatigue)

COMMON ADVICE FOR TIREDNESS IF NO SPECIFIC CAUSE IS FOUND

This is well covered in the article below from Patient info which follows on from the question on “Why am I tired all the time”:

From Patient info
Tiredness (Fatigue) Tiredness (Fatigue) | Exhaustion | Causes, Tests & Treatment | Patient

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH TIREDNESS

From the NHS
Self-help tips to fight tiredness Self-help tips to fight tiredness – NHS

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

Physiotherapy

You can now self refer for physiotherapy locally

Your Pharmacy

Seven common infections now treated by your local pharmacist

CAMPAIGNS

Show your heart some love, women of Bucks!

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