<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001127602-24-005069.txt : 20240214
<SEC-HEADER>0001127602-24-005069.hdr.sgml : 20240214
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20240214170935
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001127602-24-005069
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	5
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20231231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20240214
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20240214

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ADAMS W ANDREW
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001012853
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-SKILLED NURSING CARE FACILITIES [8051]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	08 Industrial Applications and Services
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		5
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-10822
		FILM NUMBER:		24640413

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P.O. BOX 1398
		CITY:			MURFREESBORO
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37133-1398

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000877860
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	05 Real Estate & Construction
		IRS NUMBER:				621470956
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		222 ROBERT ROSE DRIVE
		CITY:			MURFREESBORO
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37129
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6158909100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		222 ROBERT ROSE DRIVE
		CITY:			MURFREESBORO
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37129
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>form5.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0508</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2023-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000877860</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NHI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001012853</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ADAMS W ANDREW</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>222 ROBERT ROSE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MURFREESBORO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>37129</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>0</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock By Amk, L.p.</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2023-01-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>35000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock by W. Andrew Adams Exempt Trust</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>121035</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock - Revocable Living Trust</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>708469</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock By Adams Family Foundation II</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>177000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock by JMA Grandchildren's Trust</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12635</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock - held by Spouse</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11707</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Common Stock held by Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option Grant 2-21-19</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>79.96</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2019-02-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2024-02-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to Buy) 2-21-2020</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>90.79</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2020-02-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2025-02-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to Buy) 2-25-2021</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>69.20</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2021-02-25</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-02-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to buy) 2022</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>53.41</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2022-02-25</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2027-02-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy) 2023</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>54.73</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2023-02-24</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2028-02-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">To reflect a change in form of beneficial ownership as a result of Common stock held by W. Andrew Adams as direct owner and shares held by Springland Ventures, LP, the W. Andrew Adams Non-exempt trust, and AMK, LP being transferred to W. Andrew Adams Exempt Trust in 2023.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">To reflect a change in form of beneficial ownership as a result of 708,469 shares transferred from AMK, LP to the W. Andrew Adams Revocable Living Trust in 2023.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/W. Andrew Adams</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2024-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
