Sleep neurologists reported more sleep disturbances and even the misuse of sleep medications during the COVID-19 pandemic. In what’s been termed “ COVID-somnia,” the pandemic negatively impacted sleep for many people.

The Connection Between COVID-19 and Poor Sleep Here’s what to know about your sleep after COVID-19 and the steps you can take to move toward more restful nights. “When people are tired, pain hurts worse, which includes long COVID symptoms.” “When you are sleep-deprived, you actually feel more pain with the same stimulus,” says Dr. What’s more, if you live with an underlying condition and you’ve had COVID-19, it can be a recipe for sleepless nights - which could lead to even worse symptoms during the day.

“If you did not have a sleep problem before COVID-19 but you do now, there’s a likelihood that you have a COVID-induced situation,” says Michael Breus, PhD, a diplomate for the American Board of Sleep Medicine and fellow for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In a May 2022 study published in the journal Sleep, researchers found that more than 40 percent of patients with a history of COVID-19 reported at least moderate sleep disturbances and nearly 70 percent reported at least moderate fatigue. To add to that, sleep disturbances and lingering fatigue are common in patients who recover from COVID-19. Next, you might wake up in the middle of the night because of pain ( painsomnia) - and that tiredness only amplifies your pain the next day. You may feel anxious about not being able to fall asleep, which then keeps you up even longer. When you’re living with an underlying chronic illness, lack of sleep can turn into a complex, vicious circle.

Deep sleep disorder