Immigration and Sleep Problems in a Southern European Country: Do Immigrants Get the Best Sleep?

This study aims to analyze differences in the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and non-restorative sleep (NRS) between people born in Spain and immigrants from the seven countries with most immigrants in Spain. The data come from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey (SNHS). The sample was composed of all individuals aged 16-64 years from Spain and the seven countries with most immigrants in Spain [n = 22,224]. In both sexes, people from Bolivia had a higher prevalence of insomnia symptoms and NRS. Conversely, people from Ecuador, Morocco and Romania had less insomnia symptoms and NRS than Spanish-born participants. No differences were found between Spanish-born participants and Colombians, Peruvians and Argentinian women. Poor living conditions in the country of origin and in the host country, discrimination and culturally-related lifestyles could be related to the poorer sleep health among Bolivian men. Acculturation may explain the similar sleep health patterns between Spanish-born participants and long-term immigrants.