An effective way to determine your sleeping habits is to keep a sleeping diary. This sleeping diary can be very valuable to your health care professional.

Here are the things you should record in your diary:

• When you go to sleep
• Make a note each time during the night when you awaken. Avoid turning on a bright light, as this may affect your biological clock. Use a dim light.
• If you have to leave your bed because you have been sleepless for more than a few minutes, be sure to note this.
• Note the time you wake up in the morning, and if you needed an alarm clock to wake you.
• Note any naps that you took, when you went to sleep, and when you wake up.
• Be sure to make a note of how you felt during the day. Note if you felt groggy, drowsy, or tired during the day.

If you keep this diary for two weeks, and determine that you do not feel drowsy during the day, and are productive and alert, then you are probably getting the proper amount of sleep. Note that illness can increase your need for sleep, as can other kinds of stress.