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Insomnia Treatment
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a common condition in which an individual has regular problems sleeping.
This can be difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or not feeling refreshed after a nights sleep.
We call Insomnia long-term or persistent if it lasts for twelve weeks or longer.
Some clinicians like to use the term “Chronic Insomnia Disorder” which includes a triad of:
1) Having problems sleeping for at least three nights a week for last three months
2) Being distressed or having functional problems due to difficulties in sleeping
3) The absence of any other condition that could affect sleep (either mental or physical)
What are the Symptoms of Insomnia?
Difficulty getting to sleep
Waking up several times during the night
Distressing images / sensations
Lying awake at night
Waking up early and struggling to return back to sleep
Still feeling tired after waking it up
Struggling to nap during the day, even though you are tired from lack of sleep
Feeling irritable
Difficulties concentrating
What are the Symptoms of Insomnia?
- Difficulty getting to sleep
- Waking up several times during the night
- Distressing images / sensations
- Lying awake at night
- Waking up early and struggling to return back to sleep
- Still feeling tired after waking it up
- Struggling to nap during the day, even though you are tired from lack of sleep
- Feeling irritable
- Difficulties concentrating
How can we treat Insomnia?
There are various different ways of treating Insomnia, and these will be discussed with you at your appointment with one of our friendly clinicians.
Generally speaking these can be divided into Non-Medication, and Medication Treatment. Non medication treatments often involve making changes to your lifestyle, such as avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
They also involve general advice such as:
1. Avoiding strenuous exercise within 4 hours of bedtime
2. Avoiding big meals late at night
3. Avoiding watching television or using devices before going to bed
4. Avoiding daytime naps
5. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day
6. Ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet and comfortable
7. Exercising regularly during the day
You can also engage in behavioral and cognitive therapies.
There are a number of different medications that can be prescribed for Insomnia on a short term basis only. These will be discussed at your appointment with your clinician. Our clinicians like to discuss treatments in depth and come to a shared decision on which treatment plan would be most appropriate.
Prior to booking an appointment you can fill in the Insomnia Severity Index as a screening tool. We can use this as a baseline to assess your response to treatment.
What we can't treat
- If you are under the care of a community mental health team, please get in touch with them or their crisis helpline.
- Phone the Samaritans, who operate an always open service where you can talk to someone in confidence. They can be contacted on 116 123
- Contact the NHS on 111.
- Request an emergency appointment with your GP.
- Phone 999 or visit your local A&E if there is a life threatening mental health emergency.
What is the process for Insomnia?
At Harley Street Mental Health we pride ourselves on listening to our service users experiences and creating treatment plans base on their needs.
01.
Initial Assessments
Our Initial Psychiatric Assessments are conducted by one of our expert clinicians and last around 1 hour.
02.
Final Assessment
After this assessment you will be provided with a report outlining the assessment, any diagnosis if this has been made and a proposed treatment plan including recommended follow up.
Unlike most services, we aim to get our reports sent out within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, our team is here to help. Contact us for personalized guidance.
A private insomnia assessment at Harley Street Mental Health offers a detailed evaluation of your sleep difficulties, carried out by an experienced consultant psychiatrist. We assess the root causes of your insomnia, such as anxiety, depression, lifestyle factors, or other underlying medical or psychological conditions. Our goal is to provide an accurate diagnosis and a personalised, evidence-based treatment plan to help you achieve better, more restorative sleep.
All insomnia assessments are conducted by highly trained consultant psychiatrists who specialise in mental health and sleep disorders. Each psychiatrist is GMC-registered and carefully selected for their clinical expertise, approachable communication style, and patient-centred care.
During your assessment, your psychiatrist will explore your sleep history, including how long you have experienced insomnia, patterns of sleep disturbance, contributing stressors, lifestyle habits, and any related mental or physical health conditions. They will also review your broader mental health history, current medications, and previous treatments.
This comprehensive approach helps us identify all possible causes of your insomnia and tailor a treatment plan specifically to you.
Yes. Our insomnia assessments follow NICE guidelines and are recognised by NHS services and GPs. If we diagnose a sleep disorder, your GP should be able to record it on your NHS medical record. If medication is recommended, it’s important to check with your GP beforehand if you plan to transfer prescribing, as some GP practices have policies around medications initiated privately.
Before your insomnia assessment, you will be invited to complete electronic questionnaires about your sleep patterns, lifestyle, symptoms, and mental health history. These allow you to provide important background information in advance, helping your psychiatrist understand your situation more fully. You might also find it helpful to keep a simple sleep diary for a few nights, noting when you go to bed, when you fall asleep, how often you wake up, and how refreshed you feel in the morning. Bringing any previous psychiatric reports, therapy letters, or a list of medications can also be useful.
We offer a range of evidence-based treatments for insomnia, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), lifestyle changes, sleep hygiene education, and medication if appropriate. Your psychiatrist will work with you to create a personalised treatment plan, aiming to address both the symptoms and the underlying causes of your sleep problems.
Yes. Our psychiatrists are trained to prescribe a range of medications to help manage insomnia, guided by the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines. This includes medications that may not be routinely offered by GPs, such as certain antidepressants, melatonin, or specific hypnotics used cautiously under specialist supervision. We aim to use the safest and most effective options, focusing on long-term recovery rather than short-term reliance.
Yes. We understand that struggling with sleep problems can feel isolating and frustrating. All of our psychiatrists are selected for their warmth, understanding, and down-to-earth communication style. You will be met with compassion and respect in a safe, supportive environment where your concerns are taken seriously.
Absolutely. At Harley Street Mental Health, we are committed to providing inclusive, culturally sensitive care. We understand that sleep difficulties , and their underlying causes , may be influenced by cultural, gender-related, or individual factors. We always ask for and respect your preferred name and pronouns, and we adapt our assessments and treatments to your personal experiences and needs.
We offer both virtual insomnia assessments and in-person assessments at our prestigious clinic at 10 Harley Street, London. The clinical quality is exactly the same. Some patients prefer the convenience and comfort of a remote assessment, while others feel more at ease attending in person. Whatever you choose, you will receive the same expert care and personalised support from our specialist psychiatrists.
What makes you different to other clinics?
We hand pick all of our clinicians to ensure that they have the same values as us.
This ensures that our service users are actually listened to and are the heart of our treatment plans.
We recognise that diagnosis and treatment plans cannot simply be “one size fits all” and our personalised down to earth approach aims to keep the process as easy as possible.
We will try to keep your costs low where possible. Once you are on the right dose and feeling settled (you may need one or two medication titration appointments to achieve this), you can order your medication through the repeat medication process.
Following two months of being on the same dose, with no further changes, we will consider returning your care to your GP.
Can I see you on the NHS?
We are a private clinic, and therefore you cannot be seen by us as part of the NHS. <br><br>We can write to your GP once you are stable on your treatment to ask them to take over prescribing as part of a Shared Care Agreement, however they are under no obligation to accept this agreement.
Do I need a referral?
Our clinicians can see you directly without a referral, however a condition of all appointments is that you agree for Harley Street Mental Health to copy your GP into all assessment and treatment plans.
We are happy to accept referrals from other clinicians, however this is not necessary to use our service.
What happens during an appointment?
If you have booked a virtual appointment, you will be sent an invitation through our clinic software known as “Semble”. On the day of your appointment, you click the link and will enter into a video interview with one of our clinicians.
If you have booked an in-person appointment you will be greeted by your clinician in the waiting room.
Do you accept insurance?
Currently we do not accept insurance, and all of our assessments and treatment plans are self funded, and therefore we encourage you to look at the “fees” page prior to booking.
Do you prescribe medication?
Our team are able to prescribe medication as part of your treatment plan if this is required. Our prescriptions are private, and therefore you will be liable for the cost of the prescription and the medication.
Hod do I know if the treatment will be beneficial?
Unfortunately, there are no guarantees with psychiatry. All of our clinicians are extremely experienced and prescribe based on the most up to date evidence base. You will be involved in your treatment plans at all stages.
I have a complaint?
We are sorry to hear that you have a complaint. Please see the complaints section of our website or email complaints@hsmh.co.uk where we will endeavour to resolve your complaint in a timely manner.
What are the fees associated with ADHD Assessments?
Please see the fees section on the website. It is important that you are aware of all costs prior to starting treatment. An ADHD assessment costs £715 and lasts approximately 1.5 hours and will include a detailed written report and treatment plan (includes a prescription which will posted to your chosen pharmacy, if medication is considered suitable for you).
The cost of medication will be in addition to this and paid directly to your chosen pharmacy.
We then require service users to attend titration appointments at £150 each where your medication is adjusted until most effective. Once you move on to repeat prescriptions, they will cost £48 for a monthly prescription.
Once you are stable on your medication (around two months of being on the same dose, with no further changes and you feel much better) you can ask us to write to your GP and enter into a shared care agreement which costs £125. Your GP is under no obligation to accept a shared care agreement, and therefore we encourage all service users to discuss this with their GP prior to using our service.
Are you registered with the CQC?
Yes, we have been approved for registration with the Care Quality Commission
I have another question
Please email us on contact@hsmh.co.uk and we will get back to you shortly
Our Process
Prior to booking an appointment we encourage patients to :
1. Discuss their concerns with their GP. We encourage this to start the discussion early, in particular asking them if they are able to enter into shared care agreements once you are stable. If they are unable to do this, it will mean that even once stable, all of your prescriptions will have to be provided through Harley Street Mental Health at a cost.
2. Read the information provided about the conditions we treat in the above table and consider filling in the screening questionnaires.
3. Request a Summary Care Record from your GP. This can be accessed either through the NHS app, or by phoning up your GP Surgery.
4. Ensure you review the fee’s section of the website and are comfortable with the fees associated with assessment and treatment.
5. Ensure you are aware that unfortunately we are unable to provide services to individuals suffering from any psychiatric emergencies, suicidal ideations, or individuals that are currently under the care of a community mental health team.
If you have any questions about our services prior to booking please email contact@hsmh.co.uk and we will assist you on your journey with Harley Street Mental Health.
Use our online booking portal to book a virtual consultation using our state of the art video conferencing software, or email us to schedule an appointment in our prestigious clinic at 10 Harley Street.
Prior to your appointment you will receive an email providing information on what to expect on the day, along with a patient information questionnaire and a self-assessment form to fill in. We require that these are submitted prior to attending your appointment.
If you are visiting us at our clinic in person, one of our friendly clinicians will meet you in the waiting room.
If you are using our secure virtual service, you will be sent a link to join using our state of the art video conferencing software called Semble.
At both appointments you will be required to provide photo identification to confirm your identity. At virtual appointments you will be required to let the clinician know your current location.
This must take place within the United Kingdom.
After your appointment the following will occur:
1. You will receive your assessment outcome via email within 24-48 hours. Where appropriate this will contain your diagnosis and treatment plan.
2. Once agreed, your prescription will be sent to your chosen pharmacy in 72-96 hours. If you choose to use one of our nominated pharmacies, they are able to post medications directly to your door.
3. Your clinician will advise you on frequency of follow-up appointments to monitor treatment and progress.
When your treatment has been completed, you can request us to enter into a shared care agreement with your GP.
If they agree, then they will be able to take over prescribing of medication subject to the conditions of the shared care agreement.
In some instances a GP may refuse to enter into a shared care agreement, in which case all future prescriptions will have to be provided through Harley Street Mental Health. It is for this reason that we ask patients to speak to their GP prior to booking an appointment with our service.
How do I book an appointment?
Booking is quick and easy. Simply visit our website, select your service, and choose a suitable time.
Do you offer in-person and virtual consultations?
Yes, we provide both in-person assessments at 10 Harley Street and secure virtual consultations.
How soon will I receive my assessment report?
You will receive your detailed assessment report within 3 to 5 days after your consultation.
Are your clinicians qualified and accredited?
Absolutely. Our team consists of GMC-registered doctors and accredited specialists following NICE guidelines.
Can I get a repeat prescription?
Yes, we offer a straightforward repeat prescription service for ongoing treatment management.
Book your assessment today
Have a glance at the calendar and select a good time for you.
