Insomnia is the most common sleeping disorder and has been recognized as a major public health issue, associated with a high societal cost. The aim of this review is firstly to understand how the socio-demographic and career characteristics of insomniacs may influence the economical consequences of this disease. Secondly, it also tries to explain how patients seek help to cope with their insomnia. The review aims to carefully describe the possible links between insomnia and public health concerns as to point out what are the certitudes and the missing data on the consequences of insomnia on work, economics, accidents, costs and health related quality of life (HrQol).