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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0508 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2024-02-27 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000877860 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS INC </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> NHI </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001012861 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> SWAFFORD CHARLOTTE A </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 </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2024-02-27 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> P </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 10000 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 58.6882 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 110185 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Trustee </value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (Right to Buy) 2024 </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 57.76 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <value> 2024-02-23 </value> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2029-02-23 </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> |
| | <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> |
| | <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 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> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes></footnotes> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Charlotte A. Swafford </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2024-02-28 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |