Abstract
Insomnia disrupts sleep quality and duration, leading to difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking earlier than planned, thereby disrupting overall sleep patterns. These disruptions compromise the inherent benefits of sleep that support learning, memory, and overall well-being. Insomnia can manifest as either a chronic or acute condition, with both being associated with substantial personal and economic costs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of consensus on methodologies for measuring these different types of insomnia. Additionally, insomnia is associated with workplace issues, alcohol consumption, and mental health, particularly among military personnel. This research aimed to investigate the self-reported prevalence of insomnia symptoms in deployed New Zealand Defence Force personnel and explore potential correlates of these symptoms. It was hypothesised that the prevalence of insomnia symptoms among deployed NZDF personnel would align with international rates and that these symptoms would decrease post-deployment. It was also hypothesised that there would be significant correlations between insomnia symptoms and other measures of interest. The research relied on a database of questionnaire responses from deployed personnel, covering measures such as insomnia symptoms, morale, incident exposure, harassment, discrimination, bullying, psychological distress, PTSD, hazardous drinking, and perceptions
of leadership. The analysis sought to identify significant associations between reporting insomnia symptoms and these measures. Spearman's rho correlations gauged the extent of these associations on continuous scales, while pairwise regressions assessed the categorical interpretation of each measure and calculated the odds ratio of reporting an insomnia symptom. Results revealed that the prevalence of insomnia symptoms were consistent with previous research, with all measures being significantly associated with reporting insomnia symptoms. Regression analyses highlighted individual increases in the likelihood of reporting insomnia symptoms for each measure, with some, like psychological distress, showing a particularly strong link. These findings underscore the significance of sleep-related concerns among deployed NZDF personnel, suggesting the need for proactive measures, including predeployment sleep assessments, education, and ongoing monitoring. Addressing related concerns, such as responsible drinking, workplace behaviour, and leadership training, could enhance overall sleep, well-being, and morale among these personnel.