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Lumifer comments on Things to consider when optimizing: Sleep - Less Wrong Discussion
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Well, it's a function of the relationship between you and your doctor. You certainly can ask for tests and while it could be true that an NHS doctor will be less likely to agree to them than a US doctor, you don't lose anything by asking.
Of course, saying "sometimes I feel a bit tired" is one thing, and saying (still quoting you) "...am often extremely dozy by mid-afternoon ... I just... feel tired when I do so. And during the day. And really, really tired at night." is quite a different thing.
The tired-by-mid-afternoon feeling, by the way, could indicate sugar control problems. I'd add fasting glucose test to the general blood panel -- if you are pre-diabetic, you really want to know this.
The normal circadian rhythm has two low points, the other one in the afternoon. A dip in alertness at that time is probably normal.
Sure, you're correct about asking. The reason for the discrepancy in the two ways I phrased the issue is that I think the former is what the doctor will "hear" - perhaps I'm completely wrong about that! But given that I don't have an objective point of comparison, it seems quite plausible to me that in fact I am no more tired than your average busy-ish, active person. The only reason I'm even wondering if I should be less tired is because it seems like I used to be able to get by on less sleep - a subjective impression that I'm not very confident in.
I do sometimes feel like I have a bit of a blood sugar issue, though I'd be extremely surprised if I was pre-diabetic. I'm young and fit, no risk factors remotely present. Maybe that would be worth getting checked out some time in any case.
Thanks for the input, incidentally. :)
It's true that tiredness is a very common complaint but if it really bothers the person enough that they've come for a visit I'd still do some basic screening even if the person appears healthy. There are enough people with non-existent problems who frequent clinics several times a year that you going for a visit for the first time are unlikely to be put in the whiner category.
Even here in Finland where we have long dark winters and we have mostly national health care that is trying to be cost effective tiredness is a good enough reason to go visit a doctor.