wellness
Glasgow Sleep Clinics Expand Overnight Study Access for 10,000+ Residents
Facilities across the city now handle rising demand for assessments that track breathing, movement and brain activity during rest.
How we reported this
Bookings for overnight sleep studies at Glasgow facilities rose sharply in the first half of 2026, with the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde sleep service reporting 1,850 referrals between January and June.
The increase follows new guidance issued by the Scottish Government in March that urged health boards to shorten waiting times for diagnostic tests linked to daytime fatigue and concentration problems. Local wellness groups have promoted the tests as part of broader lifestyle routines that already include park runs along the Clyde and yoga sessions in Kelvingrove Park.
Named sites handling assessments
Two main locations accept patients. The sleep laboratory at Gartnavel General Hospital on Great Western Road runs weekday and weekend studies using EEG and oximetry equipment. Staff there schedule tests for residents referred by GPs in the West End and north Glasgow. A second service operates at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Govan Road, where clinicians focus on cases involving suspected sleep apnoea and movement disorders. Both sites forward results to referring doctors within ten working days.
Private options exist for those willing to pay. The Glasgow Sleep and Respiratory Centre on Byres Road charges £650 for a full polysomnography that includes video recording and carbon-dioxide monitoring. The centre opened an additional two-bed unit in April after demand exceeded capacity in its original single room.
Practical steps for residents
Anyone experiencing persistent tiredness can start with their GP practice on streets such as Great Western Road or Victoria Road. Practices forward completed referral forms to the central booking office at Gartnavel, where waits currently stand at six to eight weeks for routine cases. Patients are advised to avoid caffeine after 2pm on the day before a study and to bring any regular medication lists. Follow-up appointments usually occur at the same hospital site where the test took place.
Further details appear on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website under the sleep disorders section, and printed leaflets are available at libraries in Partick and Govanhill.