A growing number of people in Germany are lying awake at night. According to an analysis by the commercial health insurance company (KKH) published on Tuesday in Hanover, the number of outpatient diagnoses for psychologically-induced sleep disorders without an organic cause rose by 73.5 percent between 2014 and 2024. The analysis shows that young adults of the so-called Generation Z are particularly affected.
From 2023 to 2024 alone, diagnoses of psychologically-induced sleep disorders increased by about nine percent. Non-organic sleep disorders include difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, as well as nightmares and anxiety-related dream disorders, which can arise under high psychological stress.
The number of cases in Generation Z increased more than in any other age group. In a ten-year comparison, the insurer registered a growth in sleep problems of a good 113 percent among 25- to 29-year-olds. In a five-year comparison and in the last two years, however, diagnoses showed the biggest jump among 20- to 24-year-olds, by 45 percent from 2019 to 2024, and by a good 15 percent from 2023 to 2024.
Causes for lying awake at night can include conflicts and being overwhelmed in professional and private life, traumatic or stressful events such as the loss of a loved one, or "the permanent crisis mode in Germany and the world." The use of digital media, a full or empty stomach, alcohol, nicotine, and exercise shortly before bedtime are also considered sleep thieves.
According to a survey of 500 people with public and private health insurance, more than half of the respondents (57 percent) currently suffer from sleep problems on at least three days a week. They have trouble falling asleep in the evening or wake up more often at night. Most of them (62 percent) state that their thoughts often revolve around problems and worries.
A good half feel less productive during the day due to poor sleep. More than a third (37 percent) are often irritable. 28 percent have a harder time falling asleep if they stare at a smartphone or another screen before bedtime. This leads to a delayed release of sleep hormones and increased mental activity, which in turn results in restless sleep.
This can be a reason for sleep problems among young adults. At the same time, according to the analysis, they are confronted with fears about the future due to economic uncertainty and social inequality, which can lead to an increased sense of stress. Many younger people also have an irregular sleep routine, go to bed late, and sleep for a long time, which can throw off their natural sleep rhythm.
"In the long run, sleep disorders and regular sleep deprivation can harm one's health," warned KKH expert Aileen Könitz. This, for example, increases the susceptibility to infections as well as the risk of depression, anxiety disorders, or cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, sleep disorders could also be a consequence of psychological illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, or post-traumatic stress disorders.
The KKH evaluated insurance data on non-organic sleep disorders from 2014 to 2024 and surveyed 500 people with public and private health insurance in July.
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