New UK Survey Reveals Chronic Insomnia Impact Extends Beyond the Nighttime into The Following Day

News provided by

Idorsia

27 Oct, 2022, 07:00 GMT

  • Findings highlight the tough reality of living with chronic insomnia, particularly in the days that follow nights of disturbed sleep
  • Over 80% of respondents surveyed reported their chronic insomnia impacted their performance at work, ability to sustain a healthy level of physical activity, concentrate and feel in a good mood in the daytime, and maintain stress levels1
  • 74% worried that people didn't understand that their chronic insomnia was a medical condition, whilst 62% felt that their friends or family did not take their insomnia seriously1
  • Stigma and misunderstandings about insomnia may be compounding the problem, preventing people from seeking professional support

LONDON, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biopharmaceutical company, Idorsia UK Ltd, and The Sleep Charity, today announce the results from a new UK survey* exploring the impact of chronic insomnia on peoples' day-to-day lives, including daytime functioning and wellbeing, stigmas and misunderstandings, coping strategies and the gaps in education and support. The Impact on Sleep and Destigmatising Insomnia Patient Survey launches ahead of National Sleep In Day on Sunday, 30th October, where many of us will enjoy an extra hour of sleep due to the clocks going back. This awareness day, spearheaded by The Sleep Charity, aims to raise awareness of the importance of quality sleep and its positive impact on health and wellbeing.

The survey reveals that chronic insomnia has a huge impact on a variety of aspects across people's lives – during both the night and day. Of those surveyed, the majority of respondents reported their chronic insomnia impacted their ability to sustain a healthy level of physical activity (83%), concentrate during the daytime (87%), maintain their stress levels (84%), feel in a good mood in the daytime (84%), and perform at work (85%).1 With chronic insomnia affecting so many areas of a person's wellbeing, it is not surprising to see that approximately three quarters of those surveyed reported their chronic insomnia had impacted their romantic relationships (77%), social relationships (81%), and parenting (74%).1

The survey also unveils a clear presence of stigma when it comes to sleep and chronic insomnia. Findings show that two in three respondents (68%) surveyed were hesitant to seek professional help when they first started to experience trouble sleeping.1 Concerningly, nearly three quarters (71%) of the respondents surveyed felt misunderstood and a similar proportion (75%) isolated by their insomnia.1 Over three in five (62%) felt their friends or family didn't take their chronic insomnia seriously, and nearly three quarters (74%) of respondents said they were worried that others around them didn't consider insomnia to be a recognised medical condition.1 81% also agreed they don't think people around them understand the impact of insomnia on their daily life.1

Respondents highlighted their difficulties in managing their sleep problems, including concerns around putting themselves at risk following a night of interrupted sleep. Just over a third of respondents (37%) felt that their insomnia was under control, indicating how, for some, managing chronic insomnia requires more than good sleep hygiene.1 Most worryingly, more than three quarters (77%) of respondents surveyed felt they had exposed themselves to risky situations (e.g., accidents, falls) due to their chronic insomnia.1 

Chronic insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders in Europe, affecting between 6-12% of the adult population.2 It is a condition which can negatively impact both physical and mental health.3,4 Chronic insomnia disorder is a persistent medical condition that impacts a person's ability to fall or stay asleep, for at least three nights per week for at least three months, and occurs despite an adequate opportunity to sleep.3,5 A key symptom of chronic insomnia is the impairment of daytime functioning.3,5 Without adequate, quality sleep, people face many issues that will impact day-to-day life.6            

Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO, The Sleep Charity UK, commented:

"Sleep is a fundamental pillar of our overall health and wellbeing. These findings clearly highlight the significant impact that continued lack of sleep can have on many aspects of daily life.  More needs to be done to support people living with insomnia so they can live their life and not just "cope." This includes greater public education, support and, critically, more options to help people manage their condition with confidence."

Dr Hugh Selsick, Consultant in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, commented:

"What this highlights is that insomnia is a 24-hour disorder that has an enormous impact on quality of life. It causes genuine misery for those who suffer from it. It is also an invisible disorder and, therefore, that misery and the impact of insomnia on day-to-day functioning is not immediately obvious to family, employers or clinicians, and so it is often minimised and undertreated. It is essential that patients' voices be heard, and that insomnia be treated as the serious condition it is."

For more information and resources on chronic insomnia, please visit Insomnia - The Sleep Charity.

* This study was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd in the UK between 26th July and 19th August 2022 as part of a wider study across Italy, Germany, France, and Spain. All 155 participants from the UK who chose to take part in completing the online survey were aged 35-65 years, had moderate to clinically severe insomnia, had experienced insomnia for at least 3 months with trouble sleeping for at least 3 nights a week, and had discussed their insomnia with their doctor within the last 6 months. Specific quotas were applied so that the population sample was split by gender (29% male, 71% female), and age (ages 35-50: 48%, ages 50-60: 52%, ages 60-65: 15%).

The base sizes of sub-samples included in this survey for the UK are as follows: 130 of those surveyed were in full-time/part-time or self-employment, 104 of those surveyed were in a relationship, 121 of those surveyed had children, 119 of those surveyed agree they had exposed themselves to risky situations because of their insomnia, 134 of those surveyed were currently consulting with a healthcare professional for their insomnia and 131 were currently taking, or had previously taken, prescription medication for their insomnia.

Severity was calculated using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), a seven-item self-report questionnaire. The total score is interpreted as follows: sub-threshold insomnia (12-14), moderate clinical insomnia (15-21), and clinically severe insomnia (22-28).

Notes to the editor

About insomnia disorder

Insomnia disorder is defined as difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, causing clinically significant distress or impairment in important areas of daytime functioning.3 This impact on sleep quantity or quality should be present for at least three nights per week for at least three months, and occurs despite an adequate opportunity to sleep.3 

Insomnia is a condition of overactive wake signaling and studies have shown that areas of the brain associated with wakefulness remain more active during sleep in patients with insomnia.7,8 It is a common problem with an estimated prevalence in Europe of 6-12% of the adult population.2

Insomnia as a disorder is quite different from a brief period of poor sleep, and it can take its toll on both physical and mental health.4 It is a persistent condition with a negative impact on daytime functioning.3 Poor quality sleep can affect many aspects of daily life, including the ability to concentrate, mood, and energy levels.9

About Idorsia

Idorsia UK, an affiliate of Idorsia Ltd is reaching out for more – We have more ideas, we see more opportunities and we want to help more patients. In order to achieve this, we will develop Idorsia into a leading biopharmaceutical company, with a strong scientific core.

With commercial operations based in London, we are helping to realise the company's ambition of bringing innovative medicines from bench to bedside.

Our goal is to build a commercial footprint that will deliver Idorsia's deep pipeline of products from its R&D engine to the UK market – with the potential to change the lives of many patients.

Headquartered in Switzerland, Idorsia Ltd was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: IDIA) in June 2017 and has over 1,200 highly qualified specialists dedicated to realising our ambitious targets.

About The Sleep Charity

The Sleep Charity, incorporating The Sleep Council, provide advice and support to empower the nation to sleep better. We campaign to improve sleep support and access to high quality information, raise awareness of the value of a good night's sleep and promote understanding around the complexities of sleep. We want everyone to share their vision that sleep is a vital component of health and wellbeing and that everyone living with sleep issues should have access to effective, consistent, evidence-based support.

References

  1. Data on file, Idorsia UK Ltd.
  2. Riemann D, et al. Sleep. 2017;26(6):675-700.
  3. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
  4. Wardle-Pinkston, S, et al. Sleep Med Rev. 2019;48.
  5. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) Third edition. (ICSD-3; American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2014).
  6. Chattu, V, et al. Healthcare. 2019;7(1):1
  7. Buysse, DJ, et al. Drug Discov Today Dis Models. 2011;8(4):129-137.
  8. Levenson, JC, et al. Chest. 2015;147(4):1179-1192.
  9. Morin, CM, et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015;1:15026.

For further information, please contact

Emma Morton 
Ruder Finn
+44 (0) 7876 897 942
emorton@ruderfinn.co.uk