Physical complications:

Accidents: Public safety is endangered by insomnia and its various treatments; fatigue contributes to traffic and industrial accidents, on the automobile assembly line and while operating heavy machinery. Drowsiness causes an estimated 100,000 automobile accidents, including 1,500 fatalities. Fatigue is estimated to cause as many as 56% of auto crashes.

Generally, insomniacs were not found to have high mortality rates, but those who took sleeping pills had lower survival rates.

Heart disease: chronic insomnia is associated with signs of nervous system and heart activity, putting individuals at increased risk for heart disease.

Headaches: Night or early morning headaches may be caused by a sleep disorder.

Weight gain: Insomnia has been implicated in otherwise unexplained weight gain.

Psychological complications:

Impaired mental functioning: Insomnia may have a negative effect on concentration and memory, and one’s ability to perform routine tasks. It seems to impair the brain’s processing of information. Individuals confined to two or three hours of sleep per night every week significantly impaired mood and performance.

Stress and depression: Small changes in sleep patterns can affect a person’s mood. In some cases, persistent insomnia may predict the future occurrence of emotional disorders. Those brain hormones and pathways that cause stress, plus changes in sleeping patterns, have been found to significantly affect mood. Anxiety and depression may also underlie ongoing insomnia.

Insomniacs have reported loss of self-esteem. Research has suggested that those who suffer from insomnia often report a loss of confidence, general feelings of unworthiness.