Claire Coughlan, the clinical lead at Bowel Cancer UK, said there was “a growing body of evidence globally that bowel cancer is increasing in younger people, including within the UK”.
“We don’t know exactly why this is yet, but researchers currently believe it may be due to genetics, and lifestyle factors,” she said.
“This study’s conclusion that insomnia may be a potential risk factor in early-onset colorectal cancer could go some way to helping us understand the reasons behind this increase.”
Around one in three adults in the UK –16 million people – are thought to suffer from insomnia in the UK.
Dr David Garley, a GP and director of The Better Sleep Clinic, said there was strong evidence that insomnia drives health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and poor mental health.
He said: “When sleep deprived, it’s difficult to live a healthy life – there is more drinking, more obesity, less exercise, more smoking etc – and these may be what causes any possible increased risk.”