Background: Sleep disorders such as insomnia greatly affect individual well-being and are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and individuals over the age of 60. Untreated and long-term sleep disorders can lead to several common health problems related to metabolic changes, thereby contributing to premature death. Aging as a process is associated with an increased prevalence of sleep disorders, as normal aging naturally entails changes in sleep patterns. At the same time, life changes are a major risk factor for sleep disorders. Several such changes can be identified among individuals over 60 years of age, including retirement, illness, and loss of close relatives. Sleep disorders may both worsen and arise from such factors. For individuals over 60, illness is often the cause of insomnia.

Aim: The aim was to describe the prevalence of insomnia among individuals aged 60+ living at home with cardiovascular disease in SNAC-B.

Method: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, based on data from the Swedish National Study of Care in Blekinge (SNAC-B).

Results: The study showed a statistically significant difference between insomnia and heart failure (p=0.005), between sex and insomnia (p<0.001), and between age categories and insomnia (p<0.001). However, no statistically significant difference was found between cardiovascular disease in general and insomnia (p=0.069).

Conclusion: Insomnia was found to be a common and frequently occurring problem among individuals over 60 years of age, both with and without cardiovascular disease. Women were overrepresented among those reporting insomnia regardless of the presence of cardiovascular disease, and individuals with heart failure were identified as the group with the highest prevalence of insomnia.