Sleep Disorders

Insomnia

If you lie awake for hours, wake in the night and can't drift back off, or open your eyes too early feeling wired and tired — you're not alone, and there's a proven way forward.

Take the 2-minute quiz Book an appointment

SPMedically reviewed by Sarah Patel, MD · Board-certified, fellowship-trained in Sleep Medicine

Ready to sleep better?

New patients seen in-office or by telehealth, usually within the week.

Book an appointment

Most insurance accepted · (602) 206-6262

What is insomnia?

Insomnia means having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early — even when you have the time and the right setting to sleep. It's the most common sleep complaint we see, and it's not about willpower or "trying harder." Insomnia is a real, treatable condition.

Doctors often describe it two ways. Onset insomnia is trouble falling asleep at the start of the night. Maintenance insomnia is waking during the night — or too early in the morning — and struggling to get back to sleep. Many people have a mix of both.

Acute vs. chronic

Acute (short-term)

A few bad nights or weeks, usually tied to stress, travel, illness, or a big life change. It often eases on its own once the trigger passes.

Chronic (long-term)

Sleep trouble at least three nights a week for three months or more. This is where the right treatment makes the biggest difference — and where we can really help.

Common symptoms

1 Lying awake a long time before sleep
2 Waking often through the night
3 Waking too early and staying awake
4 Feeling unrefreshed in the morning
5 Daytime fatigue & low energy
6 Irritability, worry, or poor focus

How we diagnose it

There's usually no overnight test needed for insomnia. Getting answers is more of a conversation than a procedure:

ConsultationAn in-person or telehealth visit to talk through your sleep, your health, and what your nights and days really look like.

Sleep history & diaryWe review your patterns — often with a short sleep diary — to see what's driving the problem and rule out other causes.

A sleep study only if neededWe add an overnight study only when we suspect another disorder, such as sleep apnea or restless legs, may be behind your poor sleep.

Why treating it matters

Poor sleep touches far more than your nights

Insomnia doesn't stay in the bedroom. Night after night of broken sleep can wear on your mood, your focus, and your long-term health — which is exactly why it's worth treating properly rather than pushing through.

MoodLinked to anxiety, low mood & irritability

FocusSlower thinking, memory & concentration

HeartTied to blood pressure & heart health

DaytimeFatigue, low energy & drowsy driving

Good news

Insomnia responds to treatment — and not just a pill

The most effective, longest-lasting care for chronic insomnia isn't a medication at all. We start with the therapy proven to work and build a plan around your life.

First-line

CBT-I

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the recommended first treatment. It retrains your sleep patterns and quiets the worry around bedtime — with results that tend to last.

The proven starting point

Sleep hygiene & habits

Practical, personalized changes to your schedule, light, screens, and wind-down routine that support your body's natural sleep drive.

Everyday foundations

Careful short-term medication

When it fits, a physician may use medication briefly and thoughtfully — as a bridge, never the whole plan, and always with a path to taper.

Used sparingly

Treating the root cause

Sometimes insomnia is a symptom. We look for and treat underlying drivers — stress, pain, sleep apnea, restless legs, or other conditions.

Fixing what's behind it

Insomnia FAQs

Do I need an overnight sleep study for insomnia?

Usually not. Insomnia is most often diagnosed through a careful conversation about your sleep history and daily patterns, sometimes with a short sleep diary. We only add an overnight study when we suspect another disorder — like sleep apnea or restless legs — could be behind your poor sleep.

What is CBT-I, and why is it recommended first?

CBT-I stands for cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. It's a structured, short-term approach that resets your sleep schedule, breaks the cycle of lying awake frustrated, and eases the anxiety many people feel about bedtime. Major sleep guidelines recommend it as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia because its benefits tend to last well after the sessions end.

Will I need sleeping pills?

Not necessarily. For chronic insomnia, therapy and habit changes work better over the long run than medication. When medication does have a role, your physician uses it carefully and for the short term — as a bridge while other tools take hold, with a clear plan to taper off.

How soon can I be seen?

New patients are typically seen within the week, in person in Glendale or by telehealth anywhere in Arizona.

Sleep well. Be well.

You don't have to lie awake another night.

Take the 2-minute assessment, or book directly with a sleep specialist.

Book an appointment Call (602) 206-6262