A countless number of studies have been conducted on the topic of her it ability of insomnia over half a century. Some of the most recent research has focused on hundreds of genes which are believed to affect this condition. Thus, it is very likely that if you are suffering from insomnia, other members of your extended family will have experienced it as well. In fact, there is at least a 30% chance of this to happen.

Therefore, if you can’t fall or stay asleep, you should blame your genes. Scientists have finally confirmed that insomnia is hereditary. In fact, there have identified certain genetic mutations which they believe can lead to the development of the condition. This is one of the largest studies of its kind and can be very helpful in the forthcoming insomnia treatments.

Over 20% of adults from all over the world are dealing with insomnia. This condition can have a serious impact on a person’s health and well being. What’s more, insomnia can also trigger a number of health conditions, such as PTSD, mental illnesses, diabetes, and heart disease.

Insomnia is usually associated with a difficulty to fall asleep at night. However, it seems like this condition has far more symptoms than this one, such as waking up feeling tired, walking throughout the night, and not being able to fall back to sleep.

There have been over 33,000 soldiers who participated in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service Members and determine whether the genes are linked to sleep issues. Their DNA has been used and it was revealed that insomnia has a heritable element to it. Likewise, it was found out that insomnia is closely linked to certain genetic variations on chromosome 7, and on chromosome 9 in people of European descent. The first chromosome is also close to a gene involved in alcohol consumption.

This study also revealed that there is a very powerful connection between insomnia and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, a strong link between insomnia and major depression in people of European descent was discovered.

So, there is a shared genetic diathesis for these commonly co-occurring phenotypes, such as type 2 diabetes and major depression. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that genetics isn’t the sole culprit of insomnia. In fact, there are other factors which can attribute to it, including excessive caffeine consumption, chronic pain, working irregular hours, asthma, and certain medications. All of these lifestyle factors seem to be causing insomnia.

Now a days, insomnia is usually treated with sleep medicines, cognitive behavioral therapy, and learning how to relax. Discovering the connection between genetics and insomnia can improve current treatments and help to find new ones.

It’s worth mentioning that epigenetic changes can be passed from parents to children, but can also be reversible. It is also believed that epigenetic influences react to how our bodies regulate sleep and respond to stress.

In a nutshell, insomnia is hereditary and there are hundreds of genetic locations which can determine a person's overall risk of developing insomnia.