A new analysis of 66 studies involving nearly 43,000 refugees and asylum seekers reveals that sleep problems are widespread in this population. On average, adults scored 13.76 on the Insomnia Severity Index, which falls in the upper end of subthreshold insomnia, close to moderate clinical insomnia. Their scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index averaged 8.59, exceeding the threshold for poor sleep.
The analysis also found that 43.2% of adults and 36.4% of children reported sleep adversities. Common issues included trouble falling asleep and frequent nightmares. The study did not look at specific causes, but the link between refugee status and poor sleep is clear.
Because this is a meta-analysis of many studies, the results give a broad picture but cannot prove that being a refugee directly causes sleep problems. The researchers note that differences among the studies made it harder to draw firm conclusions about specific groups.
For healthcare providers, the findings suggest that sleep assessments should be a routine part of care for refugees. For individuals, if you or a family member are a refugee and struggling with sleep, talking to a doctor may help. This study highlights a real need for better sleep support.
