Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesRisk FactorsHow Long It LastsSleep EffectsWhat to DoWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Risk Factors
How Long It Lasts
Sleep Effects
What to Do
When to See a Provider
Infection with COVID-19 has been associated with trouble sleeping—both during the infection, and even after the infection has resolved. Often labeled as coronasomnia,sleep difficulties are considered one of thelong COVIDor post-COVID effects.
Sleep problems after COVID-19 infection may include trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and feeling sleepy during the day.
One study reports that 76% of people who have recovered from COVID infection continue to experience insomnia months after the acute phase of the infection has resolved.Other reviews of studies (published in 2022) found lower percentages, with one review finding 37%and another 24% to 30%.These lower percentages are not much higher than the prevalence of sleep disturbances in the general population.
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Why Does COVID Cause Insomnia?
“Insomnia” is defined as “persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep,” which results in inadequate sleep and daytime sleepiness. Researchers have discovered that ongoing or previous COVID-19 infection produces insomnia in multiple ways.
Factors that contribute to coronasomnia include:
COVID-Induced Inflammation
The coronavirus also has been associated with effects on the brain, such as inflammation and a disruption in the gut-brain axis (also called the gut-brain connection), that may lead to insomnia.
Inflammation: The COVID-19 virus can cause inflammation that disrupts the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB generally protects the brain from infections and medication side effects. A compromised BBB can lead to disturbances in brain function. Researchers have found that COVID-19 infection can disrupt the sleep cycle through inflammatory disruption of the BBB.
Disruption in the gut-brain axis: The bacterial environment of the stomach and intestines, known as thegut flora or gut microbiota, promotes a balance of digestion and immunity. Some people’s gut flora is altered during and after COVID-19 infection. Changes in gut flora can affect brain activity, interfering with the body’s sleep cycle.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Some populations seem to be at a higher than average risk of insomnia associated with COVID-19 infection.
High-risk groups include:
What Can You Do?Even if you are in one of the populations at risk of coronasomnia, you can still improve your sleep.Talking with a healthcare provider about your medical issues or discussing your mental health concerns with a therapist can help you get a diagnosis and the proper treatment to begin to resolve your sleep issues.
What Can You Do?
Even if you are in one of the populations at risk of coronasomnia, you can still improve your sleep.Talking with a healthcare provider about your medical issues or discussing your mental health concerns with a therapist can help you get a diagnosis and the proper treatment to begin to resolve your sleep issues.
How Long Does Coronasomnia Last?
Research suggests that coronasomnia may begin to resolve within about 6 to 12 months after being sick from COVID-19.For many people, improvement of physical symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection often goes hand in hand with improvement in sleep.
Coronasomnia Anxiety Over Time
It’s important to note that factors contributing to coronasomnia are ever evolving.
For example, isolation and detachment from other people were more pronounced during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. Still, some people have remained isolated and have not resumed normal interactions at school, work, or socially.
Anxiety regarding contagious illnesses and health scares were high during the height of the pandemic.While that level of anxiety has lessened in the following years, some people are still anxious about infections.
Additionally, it’s important to note that some people with chronic diseases are still highly susceptible to contagious infections. While this concern was highlighted during the pandemic, the risk of catching any type of infection is ever present for people with a weakened immune system.
Types of Insomnia
Long-Term Sleep Effects Post-COVID
Several long-term sleep effects are associated with post-COVID. Some of these effects overlap with sleep issues during COVID-19 infection—but some are unique to the post-COVID period.
Post-COVID sleep problems include:
What to Do If You Can’t Sleep
Difficulty sleeping is not uncommon, and many people experience this problem at some point in their lives. Daytime sleepiness, which can lead to naps, is a common consequence of insomnia. Napping during the day can lead to a cycle of difficulty sleeping again at night.
Additionally, anxiety about insomnia can worsen insomnia. If you can’t sleep, consider the following measures to make it easier to get asleep and stay asleep:
Sometimes, adding a few relaxing changes to your bedtime routine can help you fall asleep when you want to.
How to Improve Your Sleep Habits
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
If you’ve consistently been having trouble sleeping or if you feel tired during the day, it’s important that you talk to a healthcare provider. Coronasomnia is common and may be associated with anxiety, depression, or prolonged effects of COVID-19. Living with insomnia and daytime sleepiness has a substantial impact on your quality of life, and treatment can help improve these symptoms.
Besides COVID-19 infection, there are many other reasons for insomnia and daytime sleepiness. Your healthcare provider can take a medical history, do a physical exam, and possibly run some diagnostic tests to help figure out what’s going on.
Summary
Coronasomnia is becoming more recognized as a post COVID-19 problem. People who have recovered from COVID-19 infection sometimes experience months of insomnia and daytime sleepiness. Many factors are associated with coronasomnia, including anxiety, depression, napping during the day, and direct effects of inflammation from the virus itself.
If you’ve been experiencing coronasomnia, it may be reassuring to know that you are not alone. So far, research shows that many people recover from coronasomnia within six to 12 months.In the meantime, you can take some steps to help improve your sleep, including incorporating healthy sleep habits and talking to a healthcare provider about your sleep issues.
Keep in mind that there are many causes of daytime sleepiness and insomnia—and it’s best to see a healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis rather than assuming your symptoms are due to a previous COVID-19 infection.
12 Sleep Hygiene Tips for a Better Night’s Rest
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Medical Association.6 things doctors wish patients knew about “coronasomnia.“Batool-Anwar S, Fashanu OS, Quan SF.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on sleep patterns.Thorac Res Pract.2024;1(1). doi:10.5152/ThoracResPract.2024.24013Putenis K, Strautmane S, Mičule M, et al.The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sleep, daytime sleepiness, and depression-longitudinal cohort study.Medicina (Kaunas). 2024;60(8):1352. doi:10.3390/medicina60081352Hoang HTX, Yeung WF, Truong QTM, et al.Sleep quality among non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a national cross-sectional study.Front Public Health.2024;11:1281012. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281012Bourmistrova NW, Solomon T, Braude P, Strawbridge R, Carter B.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health: a systematic review.J Affect Disord. 2022;299:118-125. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.031Alkodaymi MS, Omrani OA, et al.Prevalence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome symptoms at different follow-up periods: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022;28(5):657-666. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2022.01.014Salfi F, Amicucci G, Corigliano D, Viselli L, D’Atri A, Tempesta D, Ferrara M.Poor sleep quality, insomnia, and short sleep duration before infection predict long-term symptoms after COVID-19.Brain Behav Immun.2023;112:140-151. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.010Yang WL, Wang Q, Wang Y, Sun S, Shen Y, Yu LM.Long-term gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep quality sequelae in adolescents after COVID-19: a retrospective study. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1323820. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1323820Delpino FM, da Silva CN, Jerônimo JS, et al.Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:272-282. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003Winegar R.Enhancing sleep quality for adult patients: interventions and insights.Nurse Pract. 2024;49(7):22-30. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000199
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Medical Association.6 things doctors wish patients knew about “coronasomnia.“Batool-Anwar S, Fashanu OS, Quan SF.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on sleep patterns.Thorac Res Pract.2024;1(1). doi:10.5152/ThoracResPract.2024.24013Putenis K, Strautmane S, Mičule M, et al.The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sleep, daytime sleepiness, and depression-longitudinal cohort study.Medicina (Kaunas). 2024;60(8):1352. doi:10.3390/medicina60081352Hoang HTX, Yeung WF, Truong QTM, et al.Sleep quality among non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a national cross-sectional study.Front Public Health.2024;11:1281012. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281012Bourmistrova NW, Solomon T, Braude P, Strawbridge R, Carter B.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health: a systematic review.J Affect Disord. 2022;299:118-125. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.031Alkodaymi MS, Omrani OA, et al.Prevalence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome symptoms at different follow-up periods: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022;28(5):657-666. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2022.01.014Salfi F, Amicucci G, Corigliano D, Viselli L, D’Atri A, Tempesta D, Ferrara M.Poor sleep quality, insomnia, and short sleep duration before infection predict long-term symptoms after COVID-19.Brain Behav Immun.2023;112:140-151. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.010Yang WL, Wang Q, Wang Y, Sun S, Shen Y, Yu LM.Long-term gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep quality sequelae in adolescents after COVID-19: a retrospective study. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1323820. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1323820Delpino FM, da Silva CN, Jerônimo JS, et al.Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:272-282. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003Winegar R.Enhancing sleep quality for adult patients: interventions and insights.Nurse Pract. 2024;49(7):22-30. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000199
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Medical Association.6 things doctors wish patients knew about “coronasomnia.“Batool-Anwar S, Fashanu OS, Quan SF.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on sleep patterns.Thorac Res Pract.2024;1(1). doi:10.5152/ThoracResPract.2024.24013Putenis K, Strautmane S, Mičule M, et al.The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sleep, daytime sleepiness, and depression-longitudinal cohort study.Medicina (Kaunas). 2024;60(8):1352. doi:10.3390/medicina60081352Hoang HTX, Yeung WF, Truong QTM, et al.Sleep quality among non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a national cross-sectional study.Front Public Health.2024;11:1281012. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281012Bourmistrova NW, Solomon T, Braude P, Strawbridge R, Carter B.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health: a systematic review.J Affect Disord. 2022;299:118-125. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.031Alkodaymi MS, Omrani OA, et al.Prevalence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome symptoms at different follow-up periods: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022;28(5):657-666. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2022.01.014Salfi F, Amicucci G, Corigliano D, Viselli L, D’Atri A, Tempesta D, Ferrara M.Poor sleep quality, insomnia, and short sleep duration before infection predict long-term symptoms after COVID-19.Brain Behav Immun.2023;112:140-151. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.010Yang WL, Wang Q, Wang Y, Sun S, Shen Y, Yu LM.Long-term gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep quality sequelae in adolescents after COVID-19: a retrospective study. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1323820. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1323820Delpino FM, da Silva CN, Jerônimo JS, et al.Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:272-282. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003Winegar R.Enhancing sleep quality for adult patients: interventions and insights.Nurse Pract. 2024;49(7):22-30. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000199
American Medical Association.6 things doctors wish patients knew about “coronasomnia.”
Batool-Anwar S, Fashanu OS, Quan SF.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on sleep patterns.Thorac Res Pract.2024;1(1). doi:10.5152/ThoracResPract.2024.24013
Putenis K, Strautmane S, Mičule M, et al.The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on sleep, daytime sleepiness, and depression-longitudinal cohort study.Medicina (Kaunas). 2024;60(8):1352. doi:10.3390/medicina60081352
Hoang HTX, Yeung WF, Truong QTM, et al.Sleep quality among non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a national cross-sectional study.Front Public Health.2024;11:1281012. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281012
Bourmistrova NW, Solomon T, Braude P, Strawbridge R, Carter B.Long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health: a systematic review.J Affect Disord. 2022;299:118-125. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2021.11.031
Alkodaymi MS, Omrani OA, et al.Prevalence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome symptoms at different follow-up periods: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022;28(5):657-666. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2022.01.014
Salfi F, Amicucci G, Corigliano D, Viselli L, D’Atri A, Tempesta D, Ferrara M.Poor sleep quality, insomnia, and short sleep duration before infection predict long-term symptoms after COVID-19.Brain Behav Immun.2023;112:140-151. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.010
Yang WL, Wang Q, Wang Y, Sun S, Shen Y, Yu LM.Long-term gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep quality sequelae in adolescents after COVID-19: a retrospective study. Front Public Health. 2024;12:1323820. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1323820
Delpino FM, da Silva CN, Jerônimo JS, et al.Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people.J Affect Disord. 2022;318:272-282. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003
Winegar R.Enhancing sleep quality for adult patients: interventions and insights.Nurse Pract. 2024;49(7):22-30. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000199
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