Is insomnia hereditary?

Is insomnia hereditary?

Irshaad Ebrahim (Medical Director of The London Sleep Centre) gives expert video advice on: What is insomnia?; What happens to people who suffer insomnia, over time?; How many people suffer from insomnia? and more...

Primary insomnia is thought to be hereditary, in that people in those particular families have learned how to adjust to a bad night's sleep, or have certain coping mechanisms that may encourage the onset of insomnia. So what we find quite frequently is, when we speak to people, or when I have patients who have got insomnia, and I ask them about their family history, they frequently say, "Well, my mom's a bad sleeper and always has been a bad sleeper. But like my mom, I'm a big worrier, too."