General Information about the Sleep Questionnaire

The Sleep Questionnaire has been developed through study of sleep research and publications, sleep medicine resources, clinical work in counseling, and study and practice of dreams and the psyche. It is in development and is therefore still experimental. This means the results of the questionnaire are certainly open for discussion and critical review by all users.

Five Categories

There are 5 categories of sleep problem evaluation included.

Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep	Your belief and attitude about sleep and your difficulties influence the possible treatments and the prognosis of treatment. Knowing the beliefs and attitudes aids in preparation of a treatment plan with compliance and success more likely.
Diagnosis and History of Sleep Problem	Because of the complexity of sleep problems an accurate assessment is crucial to developing the correct diagnosis. With over 200 questions involved in the Sleep/Insomnia Program a more comprehensive overview of the problem is possible
History of Treatments	Knowing what you have already tried to do to fix the sleep problem helps refine the treatment plan, so you won't be continuing to use a solution that has already failed. Sometimes, the solution will be correct, but some preliminary work is indicated.
Treatment Acceptability	Apart from knowing the Beliefs and Attitudes, it helps to know the level of distress you are experiencing. The treatment plan is affected by that level. Knowing what the pressures are you are living under also influences the treatment that can be recommended.
Level of Sleep Impairment	If a person is severely sleep deprived, there are physiological symptoms that are very noticeable and distressing to the person. Three sleep impairment scales, adapted from those created by the American Medical Association, are used to evaluate the severity of your sleep difficulties.

Basic Aspects Included

There are seven basic aspects of sleep problems and to make it more complex... the aspects will interact with each other.

Biological/energetic	Hormonal effects, eating, breathing, liquid intake, quality of dreaming memory, indicators of biological troubles, sexual aspects.
Drugs	Alcohol and drug consumption and history. This includes legal and illegal substances as well as medications.
Environmental	Sleeping area factors, environmental stimulation, sleeping area changes, weekend changes, presence of young children.
Medical	Sleep disorders, presence of disease and medical conditions that are under treatment, presence of pain.
Psychological	Various forms of depression and anxiety, post-traumatic symptoms, and dreaming life.
Social	Work schedules, vacation schedules, interpersonal relationships, control over one's own actions, bed-partner interactions, travel, sex.
Sleep hygiene	Bedtime behaviors and routines, sleep/wake schedules, exercise, caffeine intake, stress-coping behaviors, safety issues.

Influences

There are many sleep problem influences that are included such as:

Advanced sleep phase

Alertness

Anxiety

Bed-wetting

Depression

Gastrointestinal Reflux

Interpersonal relationships

Oriental system imbalances

Narcolepsy

Nightmares

Other sleep disorder

Periodic Limb Movement

Post-Trauma Syndrome

Psychological symptoms

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Terrors

Sleepwalking

Stress

Time Zone Changes/Travel

How is the Sleep/Insomnia Program valuable to you?

Through this questionnaire you will gain an overview of all the aspects of your sleep problem. Then you will have a clearer idea of what steps you can take to solve the problem. You have the opportunity to explore your own sleep problem in depth. However, talking about one's sleeping life is a tremendously sensitive area because of the judgments and vulnerabilities associated with sleep and very private times so we understand feeling of awkwardness and difficulty in answering some of the questions. It may help to know that this program was developed by a counselor trained in talking with people about sensitive topics. We hope you find this questionnaire interesting and friendly, which will help you in your quest to resolve a sleeping problem.

What is the Cost?

Interpreted Report (Online Forms Version - $60)

All the information provided by your questionnaire responses will be evaluated for interactions of patterns, habits, health and mental health conditions that may be contributing to your sleep difficulties. We will look for initial indications of sleep disorders and symptoms related to internal and external stresses. All this information is used to determine your unique situation and to make recommendations for a treatment course most suited to you. The interpretive report we will send to you will provide alternatives in therapy for you to choose from. This will help you set out an effective plan that you will be able to successfully implement in your daily life.

Report prepared from your answers by clinician trained in sleep problems. This report reviews results of questionnaire and consolidates information to several noticable areas with recommendations for focus of treatment and/or referrals. It is typically about one or two pages long. The report is as simple or complex as the case requires. This report is a time-saver for the busy clinician.

Other questions and requests can be sent directly to Iris Publishing at: Sleep@Iris-Publishing.com