In which I admit to attending a sleep clinic

I only say “admit” because I have written a book about sleep and you might think I should know everything necessary to sleep well. But that would be like assuming that a physiotherapist would never need treatment for an injury or an oncologist would be able to avoid cancer. It would also be to make the mistake of believing that all you need in order to sleep well is to do all the right things.

I’ve experienced poor sleep for most of my life but I definitely don’t think my experience is extreme. I know it’s very common and many people put up with it for years. As I did.

But mine, while not necessarily extreme, was rather specific (I wake up so soon after falling asleep) and certainly making me feel a bit rubbish. Also, knowing what I know abut the importance of sleep, I had come to believe that if I could sleep better I could be healthier and live better. I felt the lost hours were having a cumulative negative effect.

So, back in February I contacted my GP online and said I’d like to discuss it. In my message I said something along the lines of, “Please note that I have literally written a book on sleep and I do not need to be told anything about sleep hygiene! I have tried everything and this problem has been going on for many years.” Even so, I was quite surprised (impressed) to get a phone call from her in which she said, “You’ve obviously tried everything known to man [her phrase - I’d have said woman…] so I’m referring you to the Leicester Hospital sleep clinic.”

Hence, I found myself last Wednesday in a dingy bit of an ancient and scruffy hospital, warmly welcomed by everyone I met. I was so worried about not finding the place - after masses of warnings in the instructions - that I arrived an hour early and almost fell asleep while I was waiting. That would have been a fast cure!

My expectations, I admit, had been very low. I expected to be told some version of: “Yes, you sleep badly but so do lots of people. You’re really not very different. Please try this, this and this.” At the very most I thought I might be sent away with a sleep tracker that would be better than my existing fitness tracker (which I do not think tracks sleep at all well.) I assumed I’d also be told to try CBT-i (CBT Insomnia), which I’d already tried, although I didn’t finish the course because there was a bit I couldn‘t make work on my own.

Instead, this is what happened

I did some baseline health tests. Then I had just over an hour with an incredible consultant. She was Spanish and spoke unbelievably fast so by the end my brain was fried. Actually I was almost nodding off by the end, which was interesting because I’d answered “not at all” to the question, “How likely would you be to fall asleep while someone was talking to you?” Hmm.

It turns out that there are some odd things about my sleep - yes, I am indeed special! Apparently my daytime sleepiness is unusually high - falling asleep in the car, or watching TV, or while reading during the day, is apparently not usual. And my nightime waking is definitely not right. I also have some parasomnias - odd things that happen as I’m falling asleep - which I thought were just quirky but uninteresting things about me.

As a result of this, I have been referred for the full night-time and day-time tests where I will be wired up to machines for a night in hospital and then through the following day when I’ll be asked to try to fall asleep at scheduled times. Wires will be stuck to my scalp, chin, beside my eyes, face, chest, stomach, arms and legs. And apparently I will sleep! How is this possible?!

Since I am very fascinated by sleep I am thoroughly looking forward to this, even if they find nothing specific. The consultant has said that, whatever they find, they have treatments for it and, if they don’t find anything, then they also have treatments.

I feel heard and seen. And all on the NHS!

I will probably sleep perfectly from now onwards…

Final thought. Obviously, you want a photo of my head with the wires on? I’ll see what I can do.

My message from this experience is: if there’s something that’s been bothering you for a while and you’ve not done anything about it because you don’t think there’s a solution, think again. It’s worth talking to an expert and they are out there, waiting to see you. Mind you, there is quite a bit of waiting…

Meanwhile, you might be interested in my book on sleep. The Awesome Power of Sleep is ostensibly for teenagers but actually it’s for everyone. Sleep is sleep, whoever you are.