Insomnia? When a Sleep Study Can Help
- Ute Lorch
- Jan 16
- 6 min read
Understanding Why You Can’t Sleep — and How This Supports Burnout Recovery
Keywords: burnout recovery, insomnia and burnout, sleep study, nervous system regulation, CBT-I, hyperarousal, sleep apnoea, chronic exhaustion, sleep and stress, mental fitness, New Zealand sleep study
Sleep, Burnout, and the Nervous System
Sleep disturbance is one of the most consistent and debilitating features of burnout. Difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, early morning waking, or feeling unrefreshed despite enough hours in bed are common experiences for people who are otherwise “doing everything right.”
From a neuroscience perspective, sleep is not passive rest. It is a core nervous system regulation and repair process. During healthy sleep, the brain restores prefrontal control over emotional and threat circuits, rebalances stress hormones, and supports autonomic flexibility (Walker, 2017).
When sleep is disrupted, the nervous system often remains locked in hyperarousal, amplifying emotional reactivity, cognitive fatigue, and physical exhaustion (Åkerstedt et al., 2014).
Client story
Clara, a healthcare professional recovering from burnout, said: “I was doing breathwork, walking daily, eating well — but every night my body felt like it wouldn’t switch off.”
This is often the moment where understanding why sleep is not restoring becomes essential.
An Important Reframe:
- What Sleep Studies Can (and Cannot) Do
Sleep studies do not cure insomnia on their own. Their primary value lies in clarifying why sleep is disrupted and guiding the right treatment.
Clinical guidelines are very clear: Most insomnia is diagnosed using clinical history, sleep diaries, and questionnaires. Objective sleep testing is not routine for straightforward insomnia (Riemann et al., 2017; 2022; 2023; Cerolini et al., 2025).
However, insomnia linked to burnout is often complex, persistent, or treatment-resistant. In these cases, a sleep study can provide crucial information that changes the recovery pathway.
How Sleep Studies Are Used in Insomnia
1. Clarifying Diagnosis and Ruling Out Other Sleep Disorders
An overnight laboratory sleep study (polysomnography, PSG) is recommended when:
Another sleep disorder is suspected (e.g. sleep apnoea, periodic limb movement disorder, circadian rhythm disruption)
Insomnia is severe or resistant to treatment
There is a large mismatch between perceived sleep and objective sleep (“sleep state misperception”)
(Riemann et al., 2017; Riemann et al., 2023; Frase et al., 2023)
In these situations, PSG can uncover conditions that—when treated—often reduce insomnia symptoms, such as undiagnosed sleep apnoea.
Client story
David assumed stress alone explained his insomnia. A sleep study revealed repeated breathing-related micro-arousals. Once treated, his sleep improved enough for CBT-I and nervous system regulation to finally take effect.
2. Understanding Insomnia Subtypes and Risk
Advanced PSG and EEG analyses can identify distinct insomnia subtypes, including:
Objective short sleep duration
Sleep instability
Persistent cortical hyperarousal
These patterns are associated with greater symptom severity, increased health risk, and slower recovery (Baglioni et al., 2014; Dikeos et al., 2023; Carpi & Liguori, 2025).
Identifying these subtypes helps according to (Riemann et al., 2022; Scott et al., 2022):
Match people to the right intensity of CBT-I
Set realistic recovery expectations
Reduce self-blame and frustration
Client story
Maria felt she was “failing at sleep.” Learning she had a short-sleep insomnia subtype reframed her experience: she didn’t need more effort — she needed more structured support.
3. Supporting Treatment and Providing Feedback
Objective monitoring (actigraphy or validated wearables) can support insomnia treatment (Vallières & Morin, 2003; Sivertsen et al., 2006; Scott et al., 2022; Schneider et al., 2025) by:
Tracking adherence to CBT-I strategies (sleep restriction, consistent wake times)
Monitoring treatment response over time
Reducing anxiety by correcting misperceptions such as “I don’t sleep at all”
Correcting sleep misperception alone can reduce threat and worry around sleep, which itself can improve outcomes (Araújo et al., 2017).
Client story
Lena was convinced she slept only two hours a night. Actigraphy showed closer to six. That reassurance reduced fear — and her sleep gradually improved.
Burnout, Brain Networks, and Sleep
Neuroimaging and EEG studies in burnout (also referred to as exhaustion disorder) show:
Reduced connectivity between prefrontal regulatory regions and limbic emotional networks,
Altered basal ganglia functioning,
EEG markers of reduced top-down regulation and increased emotional reactivity
(Grossi et al., 2015; Chmiel & Malinowska, 2025).
Sleep disruption further weakens these regulatory networks, amplifying emotional sensitivity and reducing stress tolerance—one reason burnout recovery can stall when sleep is not addressed.
How Sleep Studies Support Nervous System Regulation
Sleep studies do not replace nervous system regulation or CBT-I. They remove hidden physiological barriers that may otherwise undermine these approaches.
When sleep-disrupting factors are addressed:
Regulation practices land more easily
Baseline autonomic safety improves
Burnout recovery becomes steadier and more sustainable
Client story
After addressing her sleep-related breathing issue, Clara reflected: “Now my nervous system work actually works. Before, my body was fighting me at night.”
Getting a Sleep Study in New Zealand
In New Zealand, access to sleep studies typically follows two pathways:
Public system (Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand)
GP referral required
Usually prioritised for suspected sleep apnoea or complex cases
Generally no cost, but wait times can be several months
Private system
Faster access
Often begin with a home sleep study
May be partially covered by private health insurance
Your GP can help determine whether a home study or in-lab study is most appropriate.
When to Consider a Sleep Study in Burnout Recovery
A sleep study may be particularly helpful if:
Insomnia persists despite CBT-I and nervous system regulation
Sleep is consistently unrefreshing
Exhaustion does not lift with rest
Emotional regulation remains fragile
Burnout recovery feels “stuck”
Summary: What a Sleep Study Can and Cannot Do
Role of sleep study | How it helps insomnia |
Rule out other sleep disorders | Enables targeted treatment (e.g. sleep apnoea) |
Characterise insomnia subtype | Identifies hyperarousal or short-sleep patterns |
Monitor treatment | Tracks adherence and response to CBT-I |
Direct “cure” | Limited — CBT-I remains first-line treatment |
Conclusion: Clarity Enables Recovery
A sleep study is best understood as a tool for understanding and guidance, not a cure. Chronic insomnia—especially in burnout—most often improves through evidence-based therapies such as CBT-I, supported by nervous system regulation and, when appropriate, medication.
But when sleep does not improve, understanding why can be the turning point.
Sleep studies help ensure burnout recovery is not just compassionate — but precisely targeted.
Ethical Coaching Disclaimer
This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and reflects a neuroscience-informed coaching perspective. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical or psychological care.
Sleep studies, sleep disorders, and conditions such as insomnia, sleep apnoea, depression, or anxiety should always be assessed and managed by appropriately qualified health professionals (e.g. GPs, sleep physicians, psychologists, or psychiatrists).
Coaching and nervous system regulation practices are designed to support self-awareness, regulation, and wellbeing, and to work alongside, not instead of, medical or therapeutic treatment. Decisions about investigations, diagnoses, or medications should always be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare provider.
If you are experiencing severe sleep disturbance, mental health distress, or symptoms that impact your safety or daily functioning, please seek professional medical advice promptly.
References
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Carpi, M., & Liguori, C. (2025). Sleep EEG in chronic insomnia disorder. Clinical Neurophysiology, 176.
Cerolini, S., et al. (2025). New developments in insomnia assessment. Journal of Sleep Research, 34.
Chmiel, N., & Malinowska, D. (2025). Neural correlates of burnout. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 152.
Dikeos, D., et al. (2023). Biomarkers for diagnosing insomnia. World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 24, 614–642.
Frase, L., et al. (2023). Limitations of polysomnography in insomnia. Journal of Sleep Research, 32.
Grossi, G., et al. (2015). Stress-related exhaustion disorder. European Journal of Neurology, 22(2), 242–251.
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Scott, H., et al. (2022). Objective sleep assessment in insomnia management. Sleep Medicine, 101, 138–145.
Sivertsen, B., et al. (2006). Actigraphy vs polysomnography in insomnia. Sleep, 29(10), 1353–1358.
Spoormaker, V., & Blaskovich, B. (2025). Wearables in insomnia research. Journal of Sleep Research, 34.
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Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep. Scribner.
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