Structural sleep problems are costing the Dutch economy billions per year

Almost one in eight people in the Netherlands suffer from insomnia, resulting in an economic cost to society of 3 billion euros per year, according to a study from the SEO Institute for Economic Research (SEO).

Staying awake can influence a person’s work performance, for example, due to being tired during the day or mental health problems, researchers said. It was reported by the NOS that people suffering from sleepless nights earn 800 euros less gross per month.

Treatments for insomnia, for example, using therapy, have proven “demonstrably effective,” but it is not compensated, despite the benefits it has on the labor market. SEO suspects this is due to a shortage of practitioners, as insurers do not reimburse treatment by a psychologist under basic mental healthcare (basis-ggz).

If the complaints for just one-third of the insomnia patients were to disappear for a year, then the benefits to the labor market alone would already outweigh the costs of addressing insomnia.

Around 1.4 million people suffer from sleepless nights, according to the NOS. The RIVM had stated years ago that the number of people with insomnia is growing due to the high usage of screens.

The economy also misses out on 45,000 euros a year due to insomnia patients taking unemployment benefits. Altogether, 36,000 insomnia patients are on unemployment benefits.