South Korea's sleepless nights: Insomnia patients near 800,000, costs top 30 billion won

South Korea is facing a growing insomnia epidemic, with annual patient numbers approaching 800,000 and treatment costs surpassing 30 billion won (approximately $21 million USD). Data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service reveals a steady increase in patients diagnosed with non-organic insomnia or sleep onset and maintenance disorders.

From 2021 to 2025, the number of patients is projected to rise by 19.2%, from 669,536 in 2021 to 797,862 in 2025. Correspondingly, treatment expenses have surged by 69.4% during the same period, climbing from 18 billion won to 30.5 billion won.

Analysis of the patient data highlights distinct demographic trends. Women constitute a larger portion of insomnia patients (491,878) compared to men (326,855), although the growth rate among men (15.9%) has outpaced that of women (10.9%) since 2021. Geographically, Gyeonggi Province leads in patient numbers with 201,994, followed by Seoul with 170,291. Notably, Seoul's affluent Gangnam district alone accounts for 21,616 patients, representing 25.7% of all Seoul cases.

The age distribution shows the highest prevalence among those in their 60s (204,706), followed by the 70s (163,623) and 50s (153,844). While middle-aged and older adults show significant increases, particularly the 90s (up 55.81%) and 80s (up 26.52%), the 20s and 30s have seen a slight decline. The most common patient profile identified is a woman in her 30s to 60s residing in Seoul's Gangnam district.