Most COVID Patients Suffer Lingering Insomnia, Study Finds

Many COVID-19 patients suffer from insomnia and other sleep disturbances long after recovering, a new study finds.

Researchers say even mild cases of COVID appear to cause lingering sleep problems.

The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 adults who were recently diagnosed with COVID but weren’t hospitalized.

None of them had a history of sleep or psychiatric issues but 76% reported having insomnia after recovering from their initial infection … with about 22% describing it as severe.

Half said they wake up more often during the night now, and about a third said they find it harder to fall asleep, have worse sleep and get less shut-eye.

The results also showed patients with symptoms of depression or anxiety were more vulnerable to insomnia.

The lead author says, “If you experience insomnia after COVID-19, don’t think that is normal.”

For mild insomnia, he suggests trying a warm shower, shutting your phone down an hour before bed, exercising at least 30 minutes a day and avoiding caffeine after 4 p.m.

For more severe cases, he says over-the-counter sleep aids may help, but if not, it may be time to see a sleep therapist.

The scientists say more research is needed to explore the relationship between COVID-19, mental health problems and insomnia.