A study by Dr Dan Robotham, senior researcher at the Mental Health Foundation showed people with insomnia and who couldn't fall asleep were four times as likely to have relationship problems, three times as likely to feel depressed and three times as likely to suffer from a lack of concentration.
Nearly 6,800 people took part in an online survey, believed to be the largest of its type in the UK.
Dr Robotham is also the lead author of the Great British Sleep Report published by the Mental Health Foundation. He believes people can get stuck in a spiral where poor sleep leads to mental health problems which leads to even worse sleep.
The report suggests a link between insomnia and poor relationships, low energy levels and an inability to concentrate.
It says that lack of sleep needs to be treated as a major health issue and also calls for GPs to have more training to recognise the symptoms.
Poor sleep has already been linked to depression, immune deficiency and heart disease.
Insomnia is thought to affect about 30% of UK adults and as such, Professor Colin Espie, director of the Glasgow University Sleep Centre said, we could no longer just ignore the impact of sleep problems in this country. They are affecting our health, our economy, and our everyday happiness.
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