Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 67, Issue 2 , Pages 109-116, August 2009

The epidemiology of insomnia: Associations with physical and mental health.

The HUNT-2 study

  • Børge Sivertsen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Christiesgt. 12, 5015 Bergen, Norway. Tel.: +47 55 58 88 76; fax: +47 55 58 98 77.
    • ,
  • Steinar Krokstad

      Affiliations

    • Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Norway
    • HUNT Research Centre, Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Norway
    • ,
  • Simon Øverland

      Affiliations

    • Research Centre for Health Promotion, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
    • ,
  • Arnstein Mykletun

      Affiliations

    • Research Centre for Health Promotion, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
    • Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Mental Health, Oslo, Norway

Received 5 February 2009; received in revised form 5 May 2009; accepted 6 May 2009.

Abstract 

Objective

The aim of the present study was to examine the association of insomnia symptoms with demographic and physical and mental conditions in a large population-based study.

Methods

Cross-sectional data on insomnia and comorbid conditions were gathered from 47,700 individuals aged 20–89 in Norway. Comorbid conditions included anxiety and depression and the following physical conditions: asthma, allergy, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, migraine, headache, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, Bechterew's disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and obesity (body mass index >30).

Results

Insomnia symptoms were found in 13.5% of the population and were more prevalent among women, older adults, and in individuals with less education. Reporting insomnia symptoms significantly increased the associations with a range of conditions, especially mental conditions, pain conditions with uncertain etiology and, to a lesser extent, chronic pain conditions. These findings remained significant also when adjusting for a range of potential confounders, whereas the association between insomnia and somatic conditions was largely reduced to a nonsignificant level in the fully adjusted analyses.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that insomnia symptoms are associated with a range of different conditions. The findings suggest that the independent contribution of insomnia is strongest on conditions characterized by some level of psychological or psychosomatic properties.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Prevalence, Correlates, Insomnia, Sleep

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PII: S0022-3999(09)00180-9

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.05.001

Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 67, Issue 2 , Pages 109-116, August 2009

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