Pena Orbea has seen circadian rhythm disorders arise as a result of COVID-19. What other sleep issues are associated with COVID-19? Pena Orbea, it could last up to 12 months after beginning treatment. There’s currently little data to determine exactly how long COVID-19-induced sleep disorders may last. So on the surface, the sleep disorder might not seem connected, but chances are, it’s a result of contracting the virus itself. “Clinicians and researchers are exploring several possibilities that include having a persistent inflammatory state or an inadequate antibody response, and there’s another thought that there is ongoing viral activity that’s causing organ damage.”Īnd while general fatigue is a symptom of COVID-19, sleep disorders like insomnia can set in up to a couple of weeks after first contracting the virus. “The direct cause for long-hauler symptoms remains unknown,” says Dr. This often results in someone developing a sleep disorder. Pena Orbea, people who’ve had mental health conditions before contracting COVID-19 are at higher risk for developing worse anxiety and depression. While we’ve identified more than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19, some studies suggest neuropsychiatric symptoms like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and insomnia can worsen over time. “This is an area that we’re still studying.” “Long-hauler symptoms is a new phase of the pandemic,” says Dr. Is insomnia a symptom of COVID-19?Ĭoined “coronasomnia,” COVID-19-induced insomnia is often attributed to pandemic-related stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. Pena Orbea shares what we know so far about COVID-19’s connection with sleep disorders and what we can do to help alleviate some of those symptoms. “They report insomnia, fatigue, brain fog and sometimes we even see circadian rhythm disorders.”ĭr. “Sleep disorders are one of the most common symptoms for patients who’ve had COVID-19,” says sleep medicine specialist Cinthya Pena Orbea, MD. COVID-19 long-haulers may need several months to recover, and even then, some symptoms and additional conditions like sleep disorders tend to pop up and linger along the way. One important area of study right now focuses on a third group known as COVID-19 long-haulers, people who experience new symptoms or prolonged symptoms more than three to four weeks after infection. Others who have more serious cases need between three and six weeks to recover. Policyįor about 80% of people who have a mild reaction to COVID-19, their symptoms go away in about two weeks. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

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