Medical Services > Sleep and Breathing Disorders

A sleep diary is a tool used by UT Southwestern Medical Center’s physicians to help diagnose a patient's sleep disorders. The diary is a simple spreadsheet on which patients can record their sleeping habits.

For example, every day patients write down:

• Their bedtime;
• The amount of time it took to fall asleep;
• Any awakenings they experienced; and
• Their wake-up time.

A sleep diary may also ask patients to record things such as the number of caffeinated beverages they consumed.