The COVID-19 virus outbreak became a global health issue, affecting the lives of millions worldwide. Besides the impact on physical and medical aspects, the pandemic also raised many psychological problems such as anxiety, increased rate of depression, and others. Sleep disorders were also reported in higher numbers, either during the acute phase of Coronavirus or after recovery.
Covid insomnia or coronasomnia are the terms used to refer to insomnia caused by COVID-19 stress. In this article, we’ll discuss:
- How does Covid-19 cause insomnia?
- What are the main symptoms?
- How to cure insomnia caused by COVID?
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Can a Virus Cause Insomnia?
Yes! Especially if the virus grows into a pandemic, which can fuel psychological issues, including sleep problems. Stress and sleep-related issues go hand in hand. The pandemic of Covid-19 increased stress levels in the general population. The factors such as health insecurity, financial crisis, social isolation, and economic hardships disrupted routines and healthy circadian rhythms. This also affected people’s essential sleep regulatory processes: the arousal system and the homeostatic sleep drive.
Several kinds of research were conducted to investigate the increasing rate of insomnia due to Covid-19. One of them was published in the “Brain, Behavior, and Immunity — Health” journal. Its findings show a significant relationship between sleep problems and the Coronavirus. In addition, there appears to be an increase in sleep disorders in both patients who recovered early and those who had more prolonged symptoms.
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Corona Insomnia: Symptoms
The symptoms of Covid insomnia can include the following:
- Symptoms of general insomnia, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep.
- Increased anxiety and depression symptoms, such as obsessive thoughts.
- Increased stress about daily activities.
- Sleep deprivation symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, impaired concentration and focus, and a bad mood.
People’s sleeping habits changed as a result of the pandemic because they were sleeping less at night and napping more during the day. Now, they are delaying bedtimes and waking hours, which also led to the deterioration of sleep quality.
What Causes Corona Insomnia?
Corona and insomnia have one common factor, and that is stress. As discussed earlier, the social isolation and other outcomes of pandemics raised the stress levels in the general population. This also resulted in the increased levels of cortisol — a stress hormone that has significant importance for the sleep-wake cycle and can cause sleep disturbances.
Although cortisol drops typically at night while preparing for sleep, several studies have discovered that people who have insomnia have more elevated cortisol levels in the evening, which is related to a higher number of night awakenings. Still, more investigation is needed to decide whether high cortisol levels cause insomnia or sleep problems raise cortisol levels.
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Tips for Treating Coronasomnia
Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep can adversely affect your physical and psychological health. The good news is that insomnia is treatable. We’ve listed beneficial tips that will help you to manage insomnia after Covid.
- Create a schedule. Creating a sleep schedule makes a difference. Add extra details to your day-to-day plan to know when you exercise, socialize, eat meals, and so on; and include firm deadlines for going to sleep and waking up. Such a schedule will not just help you with your sleep cycles, but it will also assist to reach balance in your life.
- No screens before sleep. Blue light emitted by electronics can disrupt your circadian rhythm. Try to put your mobile phone or other screens away one hour before bedtime. If you find it challenging to give up your devices (smartphones, laptops, or iPads), at the very least, turn on nighttime functions that filter out blue light. Rather than using your phone before bed, try reading or doing something relaxing and distracting.
- Change the sleeping environment. Set your room temperature and brightness ideal for you. Having comfortable surroundings will enhance your sleep quality and help you go to sleep on time. Also, clean your bed and surroundings before sleeping, and it will give you a sense of satisfaction.
- Exercise daily. Exercising in the afternoon or before sleep aids in having good sleep sessions. In addition, physical activity can help you sleep better, and getting enough sleep may promote higher levels of activity during the day.
- Avoid caffeine in the evenings. Caffeine has a half-life of six hours, which means that half of its amount is still present in your body six hours after your last caffeinated drink. Caffeine can also create a vicious cycle: if you don’t get enough sleep, you may need more coffee to get through the day. Then, when it’s time to sleep, all that caffeine makes falling asleep difficult.
The Bottom Line
Corona insomnia is one of the significant effects of a Covid-19 pandemic. It can be overcome by setting your schedules and practicing relaxation techniques. Still, chronic insomnia needs medication or psychotherapy treatment, and MEDvidi is your best platform to get help from qualified professionals. Contact us if you need personalized insomnia treatment!
