Purpose: The study aimed to explore older people’s experiences of insomnia in nursing homes.

Method: This qualitative study used an inductive approach with semi-structured interviews involving 19 older people (aged 67–101 years) from nine nursing homes in southwestern Sweden. The older people were purposively selected based on insomnia criteria according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10, G47.0) and cognitive competence according to the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (S-MMSE). The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Two categories were identified: Valuing good sleep and Disruptive influence on sleep, with the subcategories of internal and external disturbances. Older people expressed that sleep was crucial to their well-being, and poor sleep quality negatively influenced their mood and physical health. They experienced internal disturbances, such as anxiety and physical discomfort, as causing sleep disturbances, but also external aspects that included environmental disturbances, reduced activity levels, loneliness, and worry about which nursing staff was on duty.

Conclusion: This study highlights the critical role of sleep in maintaining energy, coping with daily life, and ensuring overall well-being for older people in nursing homes. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.