Other impacts of chronic insomnia
Other impacts of chronic insomnia
Impact of chronic insomnia on patient quality of life
It is clear that insomnia and its comorbidities have profound negative effects on an individual’s quality of life. Studies using the SF-36 to assess insomnia and its impact on QoL showed that individuals with insomnia reported significantly worse QoL compared with those with good sleep patterns.11 These impairments are not simply limited to obvious domains, like vitality and energy, but extend to a patient’s mental wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, recreational pursuits, work and overall QoL.11
Impact of chronic insomnia on the healthcare system
Whilst specific data are limited, a study in the US found that a diagnosis of insomnia was associated with 26% higher healthcare costs at baseline and 46% higher costs 12 months after diagnosis compared with those without insomnia. When comorbidities were recognised, the insomnia cohort had 80% higher healthcare costs and experienced greater general health decline.12 Note that a causal relationship between insomnia and cost of healthcare cannot be concluded.12
Economic impact
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Chronic insomnia has enormous economic costs related to its negative effects on health, wellbeing, safety and productivity. It threatens not only patient health and the wider healthcare system, but also the economy of every country across the globe.1
In a first‑of‑its‑kind report, commissioned by Idorsia and conducted independently by RAND Europe, the “hidden” cost of chronic insomnia in the UK revealed substantial annual costs:1
11 to 18 days
of absence from work
39 to 45 days
Presenteeism in this context refers to employees going to work when unwell but not fully functioning44 to 54 days
of overall productivity loss
…which result in an overall cost to the UK GDP of 1.31% in lost productivity per year, equating to $41.4 billion (approx. £33 billion).
£1 in every £76 of national wealth is lost.1According to the report’s macroeconomic modelling, if chronic insomnia were treated effectively and comprehensively across the working age population, it would increase GDP in the UK by as much as £34 billion per year.1
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GDP: gross domestic product; QoL: quality of life; SF-36: The Short Form (36)
QUVIVIQ™ is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with insomnia characterised by symptoms present for at least 3 months and considerable impact on daytime functioning.17
This information is intended for UK healthcare professionals.
Adverse events must be reported. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in Google Play or Apple App Store. Adverse events should also be reported to ds.safety.uk@idorsia.com
References
- Hafner M, Romanelli R J et al. The societal and economic burden of insomnia in adults: an international study. RAND Corporation, 2023
- Morin C M, Drake C L et al. Insomnia disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2015;1:15026
- Covassin N, Singh P, Somers V K. Keeping up with the clock: circadian disruption and obesity risk. Hypertension 2016;68(5):1081-1090
- Itani O, Jike M et al. Short sleep duration and health outcomes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Sleep Med 2017;32:246-256
- Schmitz N C M, van der Werf Y D, Lammers-van der Holst H M. The importance of sleep and circadian rhythms for vaccination success and susceptibility to viral infections. Clocks Sleep 2022;4(1):66-79
- Robbins R, Quan S F et al. Examining sleep deficiency and disturbance and their risk for incident dementia and all-cause mortality in older adults across 5 years in the United States. Aging (Albany NY) 2021;13(3):3254-3268
- Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Fernández-Muñoz J J et al. Sleep disturbances in tension-type headache and migraine. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2018;11:1756285617745444
- Lim D C, Najafi A et al. The need to promote sleep health in public health agendas across the globe. Lancet Public Health 2023;8(10):e820-e826
- Andersen M L, Poyares D, Tufik S. Insomnia and cardiovascular outcomes. Sleep Sci 2021;14(1):1-2
- Shi T, Min M et al. Does insomnia predict a high risk of cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Journal of Sleep Research 2020;29(1):e12876
- Ishak W W, Bagot K et al. Quality of life in patients suffering from insomnia. Innov Clin Neurosci 2012;9(10):13-26
- Anderson L H, Whitebird R R et al. Healthcare utilization and costs in persons with insomnia in a managed care population. Am J Manag Care 2014;20(5):e157-165
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical knowledge summary. Insomnia. Scenario: managing long-term insomnia (more than 3 months duration), May 2025. Available at: cks.nice.org.uk. Accessed August 2025
- Matteson-Rusby S E, Pigeon W R et al. Why treat insomnia? Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2010;12(1):PCC.08r00743
- Wilson S, Anderson K et al. British Association for Psychopharmacology consensus statement on evidence-based treatment of insomnia, parasomnias and circadian rhythm disorders: an update. J Psychopharmacol 2019;33(8):923-947
- Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Safeguarding patient data (2023). Available at: cprd.com. Accessed August 2025
- QUVIVIQ™ Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Summary of Product Characteristics
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Technology appraisal guidance 922. Daridorexant for treating long‑term insomnia, 18 October 2023. Available at: nice.org.uk. Accessed August 2025
© NICE 2023 Daridorexant for treating long-term insomnia. Available from www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta922. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights.
NICE guidance is prepared for the National Health Service in England. All NICE guidance is subject to regular review and may be updated or withdrawn. NICE accepts no responsibility for the use of its content in this product/ publication.
UK-DA-00658 | Date of preparation: September 2025