Determinants of Insomnia Severity in Bhutan: Demographic and Mental Health Factors

Insomnia is a growing health concern, yet little is known about its predictors in the Bhutanese context. This research studied demographic, behavioural, and psychological factors associated with insomnia severity during the COVID-19 lockdown. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 534 Bhutanese individuals using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regression analyses were performed. The results of the Correlation analysis showed significant positive associations between insomnia severity and depression, anxiety, stress and phone usage. However, age was negatively correlated with ISI. This was further confirmed by multiple regression analysis, which revealed that depression (β = 0.30, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), and phone usage (β = 0.16, p = 0.001) significantly predicted higher insomnia severity, while age (β = - 0.14, p = 0.001) was a negative predictor. Stress, relationship and employment status were not significant in predicting insomnia. The model explained 41% of the variance in insomnia severity. Thus, psychological distress and excessive phone use increase insomnia severity, whereas older age appears protective.