Anyone have insomnia as symptom of COVID-19?

Posted by mkqq @mkqq, Apr 30, 2020

Hi all,

So I got sick 8 weeks ago and the doctor thinks it might have been Covid-19. There was no way to be certain as the infection was already gone when I visited the clinic last week. They did a CRP test and it showed no sign of infection.

I started with a fever that lasted 3 days and suddenly on the 4th or 5th day I had a sleepless night. Then for the next 5 days I had alternating nights where I slept and where I couldn't sleep at all. For the last 8 weeks or so my sleeping has been absolutely terrible.

The doctor tells me she has seen other Covid-19 patients and some of they say they cannot sleep.

Just wondering is anyone experiencing insomnia as a direct symptom of Covid-19? Or does it always come down to anxiety and your fight/flight response? For me there is a lot of anxiety which is contributing to the problem.

Many thanks

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

I know about COVID and viruses and a member in Public Health Service. Had Covid on Nov 1st likely contracted in hospital or clinic. Was very ill. Had high temp hitting 103,2 ------I was always wide awake and alert throughout. Even for the 4 days with fever I was not sleepy. I became well in 2 weeks and for another month did not feel tired, or sleepy and still have insomnia. This symptom needs to be validated with other people who have the same symptom.

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Yes, insomnia of the kind that prevents me getting to sleep until 4:30am or later. Then waking around 7am unable to rest longer.
I need a daily nap around 2 pm to function. Someone said to not nap because it was causing an unhealthy sleep pattern. But I still don’t sleep.

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After a mild case of Covid in late Jan 2022, I developed terrible insomnia. I tried 3 weeks of sleep restriction therapy, very difficult (only 5 hrs allowed in bed). Didn't help. Recently I had an overnight sleep study which ruled out apnea and restless legs. Now I'm wearing an actigraphy watch for 3 weeks to track my activity and I guess help provide info on my sleep patterns. My sleep Dr doesn't want to prescribe sleep meds until she finds out why I'm not sleeping. I've had extensive blood work done and everything is normal. I don't know what the answer is for the reason being long Covid? Currently, I take 2.5mg of Melatonin before bed and most nights fall asleep okay, but I wake 1.5 - 2 hrs later and then have difficulty going back to sleep except for short periods of dozing. I've been taking 100mg Trazodone about 2:00AM which used to help me fall back asleep for 1-2 hrs. It's not working anymore. Since my insomnia started almost a year ago, I've not had one night with more than 5 hrs. Most nights I sleep 2-4 hrs. I am extremely exhausted all day, but never sleepy. Try not to nap. After reading others posts, it doesn't sound like anyone has found a solution?

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Has anyone gotten help with medications for their insomnia?

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@ripley

After a mild case of Covid in late Jan 2022, I developed terrible insomnia. I tried 3 weeks of sleep restriction therapy, very difficult (only 5 hrs allowed in bed). Didn't help. Recently I had an overnight sleep study which ruled out apnea and restless legs. Now I'm wearing an actigraphy watch for 3 weeks to track my activity and I guess help provide info on my sleep patterns. My sleep Dr doesn't want to prescribe sleep meds until she finds out why I'm not sleeping. I've had extensive blood work done and everything is normal. I don't know what the answer is for the reason being long Covid? Currently, I take 2.5mg of Melatonin before bed and most nights fall asleep okay, but I wake 1.5 - 2 hrs later and then have difficulty going back to sleep except for short periods of dozing. I've been taking 100mg Trazodone about 2:00AM which used to help me fall back asleep for 1-2 hrs. It's not working anymore. Since my insomnia started almost a year ago, I've not had one night with more than 5 hrs. Most nights I sleep 2-4 hrs. I am extremely exhausted all day, but never sleepy. Try not to nap. After reading others posts, it doesn't sound like anyone has found a solution?

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Sounds like long covid. Difficult to be sure. I know of people who suffer
with insomnia ( not related to covid) and, until your long covid insomnia
resolves itself, don't let the insomnia rule your life. Relax. Get what
sleep you can at nite, and let yourself nap anytime of day or night.
Relax. Hopefully, this will eventually resolve itself. You cannot control
this.

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@ripley

After a mild case of Covid in late Jan 2022, I developed terrible insomnia. I tried 3 weeks of sleep restriction therapy, very difficult (only 5 hrs allowed in bed). Didn't help. Recently I had an overnight sleep study which ruled out apnea and restless legs. Now I'm wearing an actigraphy watch for 3 weeks to track my activity and I guess help provide info on my sleep patterns. My sleep Dr doesn't want to prescribe sleep meds until she finds out why I'm not sleeping. I've had extensive blood work done and everything is normal. I don't know what the answer is for the reason being long Covid? Currently, I take 2.5mg of Melatonin before bed and most nights fall asleep okay, but I wake 1.5 - 2 hrs later and then have difficulty going back to sleep except for short periods of dozing. I've been taking 100mg Trazodone about 2:00AM which used to help me fall back asleep for 1-2 hrs. It's not working anymore. Since my insomnia started almost a year ago, I've not had one night with more than 5 hrs. Most nights I sleep 2-4 hrs. I am extremely exhausted all day, but never sleepy. Try not to nap. After reading others posts, it doesn't sound like anyone has found a solution?

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You sound like me. I got Covid 4 weeks ago. I'm exhausted during the day, but can't fall asleep at night til about 2:00am. Then I wake up at 6:00. I take melatonin, Tylenol PM, and valerian tablet. Last night I heated some milk, honey, and a shot of whiskey! And finally fell asleep. Dr. would probably not approve.

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While hospitalized sleep was impossible. Finally asked doctor for anti-anxiety
medication. Medication has helped significantly

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@mgersh1028

While hospitalized sleep was impossible. Finally asked doctor for anti-anxiety
medication. Medication has helped significantly

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Can you share what you are taking and the dosage? How long before it started helping you sleep better? Thanks.

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I have been taking Sertraline, 25 mg., since 10/20/22, 1X daily. I was getting at most 3 hours of broken sleep, after several days on medication I started getting 5 to 7 hours of sleep. This medication has reduced anxiety and panic attacks. I have not had any negative side effects from this medication. I was also given Xanax prior to Sertraline, but only took one, since I was unhappy feeling sluggish, lethargic and unsteady. Hope this helps you.

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@ronnieo

Hello,

I’m an 87-year-old man, and a year ago in December I had omicron or something that mimicked it. My recovery was painfully slow and made even slower by a fall and a minor concussion in June. I’m almost recovered, but normal sleep won’t return.

Some nights I sleep wonderfully well as I did as a child. I go to sleep and wake up eight hours later. On other nights I seem to dream all night and wake up unrefreshed. I remember the dreams because it’s the same dream all night. Still, other times, I toss and turn for half the night, but I dream normally when I do fall asleep. Sleeping only a couple of hours, I’m exhausted the next day.

I try marijuana edibles (4 mg) and melatonin. Still, I cannot find a meaningful correlation between taking them and sleep quality. I think maybe the placebo effect taints my tentative conclusions. Has anyone else had these issues and resolved them? Or am I doomed?

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Ronnie, sir I'm not sure if you're actually doomed or anything like that but one thing that I have found is your edibles you might want to bring them up to about a six the other thing is I don't know if you know anything about sleep apnea but having air coming into your face usually helps you sleep also I really hope this helps you in some way I'm so sorry for everything that you're going through God bless you and I hope you get well soon

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