Understanding insomnia: When sleepless nights become a health concern
We all have nights when sleep just won't come. Maybe it's stress, travel, a late-night deadline or a racing mind. But when those restless nights become the norm, it could signal something deeper.
Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder among Discovery Health Medical Scheme members, affects how well, how long and how regularly we sleep, and over time, it can take a measurable toll on our health.
When does sleeplessness become insomnia?
According to Dr Mosima Mabunda, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Vitality, occasional sleep disruptions can happen and are often triggered by lifestyle or environmental factors. Insomnia is different.
"Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. It is characterised by persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early and being unable to fall back asleep, even when you've allowed enough time and created a healthy environment for rest," explains Dr Mabunda.
Discovery Health Medical Scheme data shows that insomnia made up 55% of all primary sleep disorder claims in 2024, growing by 4.7% every year.
"Over time, insufficient sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety and cognitive decline," says Dr Mabunda.
Discovery Health Medical Scheme data echoes this, showing that members sleeping fewer than six hours a night (compared to those sleeping seven to eight hours), have a:
- 65% higher risk of diabetes onset,
- 33% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, and
- 20% higher risk of moderate to severe depression symptoms
Discovery's recently published white paper, The Sleep Factor, further reveals that one in two Vitality members have at least one sleep metric out of range and that poor sleep is a silent but serious driver of mortality.
Understanding your sleep is one of the most effective ways to improve it. Through the Discovery Vitality Oura Ring 4 benefit, members can access the Oura Ring at a reduced rate, giving them a powerful tool to track their sleep duration, regularity, and the amount of deep and REM sleep they get each night.
"By tracking your sleep regularly, you can start identifying patterns that may be affecting how well you rest and take simple steps to improve your sleep quality," says Dr Mabunda.
Treating Insomnia
If you persistently struggle with falling or staying asleep, waking too early and being unable to fall back asleep despite good sleep hygiene habits, it may be time to get professional help. Your doctor will likely do a full assessment to determine the root cause and initiate appropriate management.
By tracking sleep, identifying risk early and making practical lifestyle adjustments, restorative sleep can be regained.
"By treating sleep as seriously as we treat nutrition and physical activity, we can transform our health in profound ways," says Dr Mabunda.