Childhood health conditions and insomnia among adults in mid-life

Abstract

Background: Little is known regarding the influence of childhood health broadly and childhood health conditions specifically on insomnia throughout adulthood. Methods: Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Baby Boomers born 1954–1965 were investigated. We fitted regression models predicting self-reported insomnia based on twenty-three retrospectively reported specific childhood health conditions (e.g., measles) and general childhood health measures and adjusted for demographics, childhood socioeconomic status, and adult socioeconomic status. Results: Nearly all the measures of childhood health significantly increased insomnia symptoms in adulthood. In a model where all measures were included, we found that respiratory disorders, headaches, stomach problems, and concussions were particularly strong predictors of insomnia. Conclusions: Our findings extend past work illustrating the “long arm” of childhood conditions for health, showing that specific health conditions in childhood may indelibly imprint insomnia risk.

Keywords

• Insomnia
• Child health
• Sleep
• The life course
• Health and retirement study
• Aging