Survey: Half of those with chronic disease suffer from chronic sleep problems

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Results from a new survey released Monday of 5,256 PatientsLikeMe members who live day to day with life-changing conditions found that nearly one-third of respondents never (5%) or rarely (25%) get a good night’s sleep. Nearly half (44%) wake up a lot during the night every night, or almost every night.

The survey also found that sleep problems for the group are chronic, with more than half (53%) saying their sleep problems have lasted for more than a year. 

“It’s challenging enough to live with a condition that affects your day-to-day life, but now on top of that we’ve uncovered a hidden burden that has a major impact on patients’ well being,” stated PatientsLikeMe research and development director Paul Wicks.

The survey offers a glimpse into the sleep experiences of patients with chronic illnesses and is part of a broader study of sleep issues that PatientsLikeMe has conducted over the last five years.