Sleep trouble since covid jdp?

Been struggling with staying asleep since covid. Jdp have you had this issue? Dont have a problem falling asleep but wake up several times a night and once i hit 4-5 hrs of sleep thats it. Dont like taking meds for it. Any suggestions appreciated

I am not expert in covid situation, but sleep quality is dependant on balanced redox, which is indeed a bit paradoxal. High oxidative stress does impair quality of sleep, which greatly correspond with inflammatory states associated with infectious disease.

My nutrient cocktail would be no different than:
- ascorbic acid - redox modulatory effects
- Ecklonia cava polyphenols
- b6 during the day with a decent dose of magnesium
- probiotic such as kefir,
- liposomal melatonin, but no more than physiological dose in the beginning

Those also come to mind that can do a degree improve quality of sleep:
- gaba
- threanine,
- taurine
- nicotinamide,
-epsom salt/bicarbonate bath
- sauna
- complete darkness and avoidance of caffeine.

That said, i believe everybody has unique profile.

I experienced insomnia intermittently for 1-2 months. I would fall asleep and wake up as soon as 1-2 hours later and remain awake for a few hours. On a few occasions did not even fall back asleep at all.

Could it just be the increased stress? Read a few articles saying that people have been experiencing more sleep problems during the pandemic.

This is what helped me:
1. Minimize screen time during the day, and don't use any devices while you are awake during the night.
2. Replace coffee with green tea
3. Ashwagandha once in the morning and once at night
4. Journaling to track mental and emotional stress

It's interesting that others have experienced the same problem.

Yea I had a full blood panel done a month after corona that came back and about 12 things are jacked up. Not sure what to make of this but I def dont feel like my body is working right.

Bilirubin - 2.6 High
Lactate Dehydrogenase - 116 Low
EOS% - .7 Low
NRBC% - .4 High
NRBC# - .2 High
MPV - 13 High
Transferrin - 202 Low
Uric Acid - 3.7 Low
Crystatin C - 3.7 Low
Total T3 - 43.22 Low
Free T4 - 1.23 High
T3 uptake - 41 Low

Only thing I had before Corona was low Vit D and Bilirubin at 1.2

Good advice guys I will work some of those things into my day to day and see if it helps. I feel like digestive inflammation is causing me to wake up. Seeing a Gastro next week.

bh1546 wrote:Yea I had a full blood panel done a month after corona that came back and about 12 things are jacked up. Not sure what to make of this but I def dont feel like my body is working right.

Bilirubin - 2.6 High
Lactate Dehydrogenase - 116 Low
EOS% - .7 Low
NRBC% - .4 High
NRBC# - .2 High
MPV - 13 High
Transferrin - 202 Low
Uric Acid - 3.7 Low
Crystatin C - 3.7 Low
Total T3 - 43.22 Low
Free T4 - 1.23 High
T3 uptake - 41 Low

Only thing I had before Corona was low Vit D and Bilirubin at 1.2

Good advice guys I will work some of those things into my day to day and see if it helps. I feel like digestive inflammation is causing me to wake up. Seeing a Gastro next week.

High Bilirubin usually means low vitamin D. Sick people are often low on D. The bigger question might be why.

I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through!  

Yes, very extreme sleep issues.  The extreme issue was from being unable to breath.  When I was in ER multiple times found that for some reason my brain doesn’t tell itself to breath.  That I have to consciously force a breath up and down with my lungs.  

If I’m just relaxing, my breath gets more and more shallow.  Then oxygen levels plummet.  Below 90 and can spike as low as 82.  

Basically apnea.  Maybe you have something similar. I don’t know.

Nothing traditional has helped.  I think it’s because of micro blood clots in brain and online info says this might be happening. So micro they don’t show on CT scan or MRI.  

So basically many covid patients have micro strokes.  These micro strokes can cause all sorts of emotional issues and even dementia issues as well.  Can even make one more susceptible to a large stroke in the future.  So all these covid people may develop a higher chance of getting a typical stroke in the future, in my opinion.

I’m sorry I wish I had something to tell you to do to do.  I gave up honestly.  Best thing I know is to treat this like if you had a stroke and/or dementia.  Hopefully you have a good support system which helps a lot for those who had stroke/dementia.  Also rehab, so keep in shape, various exercises.  That sort of thing.  

I take kratom (low dose opioids).  Opioids help trick the brain that you’re breathing normally.  It may help with sleep issues.  Course opioids are not a solution and addictive.  

My intelligence and personality is getting better but my memory is gone.  Emotional issues are extremely bad and not much better than 6 months ago.

Maybe the sleep issue is emotional. I know mine is as well as sleep apnea. I wake up very messed up emotionally. Takes hours to start to feel better.

If you have any other question let me know.

A quote

“Nearly 20 percent of COVID-19 patients developed a mental health issue — like depression, anxiety, or dementia — within 3 months of diagnosis, according to a new study” https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-with-covid-19-more-likely-to-develop-depression-anxiety-and-dementia#How-the-new-coronavirus-affects-the-mind

Thanks guys. It really helps to discuss all of this and vent cause not a lot of ppl around us know what its like. I was in pretty good shape before this and ocd about being healthy.

JDP do you think it was micro stroke during covid and dealing with side effects or still happening after? My feet are still tingly when I wake so i am assuming i had some nerve damage.

The only thing that has helped me to sleep is valium(only taken on 3 occasions cause it scares me) and melatonin. Sometimes melatonin doesnt even work. I am so stressed about getting sleep that my mind cant calm down to let it fall asleep when i am almost out. As soon as i start going i wake myself back up. Craziest thing. Then i feel worse the next day cause im strung out.

Also something weird is my vertigo/brain fog symptoms are definitely worse in the morning and start to fade after lunch time.

Yeah, I’m sorry what you’re going through.  A lot of people have all these mysterious things going on.  

The literature would say it’s the prior damage from covid that has caused all this.  That with time things should get better.  



Some suspect that a bacteria that is also with the coronavirus can cause reoccuring symptoms however but that’s not the mainstream idea.  I wish I had an answer if that’s true.  I have had many covid tests and I’ve never tested positive.  So I’m not sure if that’s true but I just don’t know anymore.  

Just today, I went to sleep and had extreme stab in my heart.  Couple hours later massive jaw pain, major pain behind eyes and chest hurts.  I know what those symptoms could be but I’ve been to the ER enough and they never find anything.  

The only thing I have is irregular heart beat, especially when I exercise.  Gets severe when I exercise.

They gave me xanax to see if it would help or help with my shaking.  It didn’t.  Kratom helps me though.

It’s interesting how you say morning is also bad for you.  Same as for me.  Maybe look into sleep apnea maybe?  

These emotional issues are crazy for me.  I’m still 20 pounds lighter.  145 pounds and 5’11 so I’m skinny.

Maybe also make sure you don’t eat too large of a meal or too much fat in the meal to make sure blood doesn’t get too thick.  To help prevent blood clots.

I personally suspect a lot of these lingering symptoms are micro blood clots in the brain.  They have done autopsy on those who died of covid and yes, they did find micro blood clots in brain and other places.  

Also, something like 30%, if I remember right, of people who died with diagnosis  of alzheimers, actually didn’t have alzheimers but is actually micro blood clots.  It’s something they’ve been finding about about dementia issues the past few years and then covid came along.  They are so small you can’t see them on a mri or ct scan but on autopsy it’s seen.  Same with covid

So these micro blood clots can cause symptoms similar to dementia.  And a lot of people with covid are mentioning emotional and dementia issues.




A quote Regarding covid and micro clots and aneurysms in the brain “What we found was that the very small blood vessels in the brain were leaking," Nath says. "And it wasn't evenly — you would find a small blood vessel here and a small blood vessel there."
The injuries resembled those from a series of tiny strokes occurring in many different areas of the brain,” https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/05/953705563/how-covid-19-attacks-the-brain-and-may-cause-lasting-damage

I believe my issues have been narrowed down to underlying anxiety and depression issues. Im still having trouble staying asleep at night once I pass out. Started exercise and meditation. Believe meditation is helping a ton. Anytime I hear someone close to me that gets covid i feel worse for the next few days. Kind of crazy.

Any tips on curbing anxiety and depression would be appreciated. Trying to get this under control and not go on a pharm med. Ive read 5htp may help along with SamE. L Theanine as well as magnesium, vit C, and D.

I usually get seasonal depression in the winter months. I typically need to be social to fill my happiness tank up and with covid it has been stressful. Then actually getting covid everything hit me all at once. Any suggestion appreciated

Thanks guys

Thanks shaftless. I agree, a cpap would probably help with breathing. An oxygen concentrator for most part didn’t but cpap I wish I could try.



bh1546,

I’m sorry to hear you’re still going through this.

I wish I knew what would help. I use to think with all my knowledge on health I could get myself out of most situations but this one I can’t. I’ve very psychologically messed up. I’ve tried l theanine, magnesium, vitamin c and others and it personally didn’t help me. Kratom (low dose opioids) does. Small low fat meals helps. I was going to try some other things. I was thinking coq 10 or low dose psychedelic mushrooms. I’ve tried all the traditional methods and they personally haven’t helped.

Maybe instead of looking at anxiety or depression, maybe you can check if your symptoms are ptsd. Mine are.

I’ll let you know first thing if I find something. Hopefully you’ll make a quick recovery. Wishing uou the best. Let me know if you have any questions.

Is anyone still experiencing insomnia? I was experiencing severe insomnia during November and December of last year and it went away thankfully. During sleep-deprived state my judgment was definitely impaired. Looking back now, thinking about a poor personal decision made in December. Resulted in ungraceful ending of a long-term romantic involvement, which may or may not have been doomed anyway, but I now wish it had been handled better on account of pain that was caused to the other person. I now believe it was the sleep deprivation that was the cause.

There was just something different about the insomnia that I was experiencing which made it feel different from any other previous occurrence of sleep problems in life. There was something unmistakably abnormal about it.

I think I'm with a many others when it comes to experience of increased grief and stress.

While I have not had covid, I have struggled with sleep for many many years. Here are some things that have helped me.

1) ashwaghanda - I take the KSM-66 version. One in the morning and one at bedtime. This will really help with stress, anxiety and keeping you feeling calm. Often its the stress/anxiety that is keeping you awake.

2) daily meditation. Try to increase the amount of meditation per day over time.

3) Practicing being completely in the moment. The Power of Now is a good book to read on this and the more you are out of your compulsive mind, the better you will sleep

4) Glass of milk at bedtimes. Lots of calming attributes of milk. As well I personally can't sleep if I feel hungry

5) Read a book in bed. Read until you feel your eyes getting heavy. As the words start to become blurry, then put it down to go to sleep,

6) Be okay with not getting any sleep. What keeps a lot of people awake at night is the fear of not getting to sleep. But if you let go of the idea that you need to sleep, then sleep will come more naturally. I say to myself, its okay if its light outside and I still haven't slept.

7) Cannabis, especially edibles. Depends on the person and the type of cannabis (strain). For me, it can make my mind more active. But one thing is that when I do fall asleep, the cannabis helps me stay asleep.

Sometimes you may need additional help for sleep like a drug prescribed from your doctor. There are far safer drugs than valium/xanax. Not something to depend on, but rather something to help for the time being until you are able to go without it.

9) invest in a good air purifier. Not the crap ones you get on Amazon, rather look for the high end brands such as Austin Air. I find that when I have better air quality and am breathing really well, especially through the nose, than I am able to sleep better

Hope these things help!

Imprisoned-radical,

Sorry to hear about you having a problem.

I think I read 7 out of 10 people who have bad covid still haven’t fully recovered.  Still with symptoms.  I’m not sure if it’s now scare tactics by the media by them saying it’s that high,  Don’t know what to believe.  

I don’t have sleep problems but still breathing problems and psychological issues too but less with each month thankfully. Maybe sleeping is more from psychological issues.

Kratom works for me

“One of the most promising new therapy ideas for brain and behavior disorders may at first seem improbable: using opioid-based medicines to reduce the symptoms of depression”. Good info =
https://www.bbrfoundation.org/content/opioids-very-low-doses-may-provide-new-way-treat-resistant-depression

Can also try ibuprofen 400 mg of ibuprofen with green and black tea.  Rotate between the two teas.  A quote on ibuprofen.  Ibuprofen last couple years has shown to help with alzheimers in preventing well as well as other psychological issues like treatment resistant depression.  Google has more info.


My dads old friend with thpe 1 diabetes passed from covid.  
Other dad’s friend had sever covid.
Neighbor had covid.  
Two homes down the lady was taken by ambulance many months ago, covid?
A block away another ambulance many months ago. Covid?
Brothers wife sister had severe covid,  lost a lot of weight.  Very ill for weeks.  
Her 16 year old daughter had covid, her organs swelled up and was in ICU for a long time.  Daughter was not iverweight and was healthy.  


We all live at 5500-6000 ft elevation.  That might have something to do with covid up here.  Thise in lower elevations might fare better unkess in poor health.  Who knows though.

What did it for me was getting my anxiety under control. I gave in and went to a sleep psychologist that my naturopath dr recommended to me after going into his office severely underweight. She specialized in CBT-I therapy and it greatly helped. At first I had tried 2 therapists and they did not compare. She basically broke down every symptom I had and thought I was having to the science of it. I felt like she knew my story as she has seen it over and over.

Basically much of what you described Helpmyhair.

I had to force myself to do exercise even though I thought I couldnt handle it at the time.

Radical acceptance is a huge one. She convinced me I didnt really need sleep and I stressed way less about it bringing down your heart rate.

Breathing exercises really work at bringing down your heart rate for a easier time to sleep. One of the main issues with covid and sleep is for a very prolonged time your heart is up fighting off the virus.

I consolidated my sleep. If I was only sleeping 4 hrs a night I would go to bed at 2 am and wake up at 7 am for a week even if I didnt sleep. Your body becomes drained and sleeps deeper within those few hrs. It sucked big time and I had to convince myself I was doing the right thing but it worked.

Waking up at the same time every morning was key and going outside.

I started a meditation app called Calm.com...also eventually went to the Waking up app. I thought mediation was hogwash but it is extremely helpful and key

There are a lot of sleep hygiene items to follow like putting the ac at no higher than 70 degrees and never staying in bed awake for more than 20 minutes. Like you said read a book if you cant sleep

I drink cherry tart every day. Its expensive but apparently helps the production of melatonin. Could be placebo but I am ok with that lol

I wear blue light glasses in the evening time as well.

I would like to incorporate yoga into my habits as ive heard that is another big one that helps people de stress and stay that way.

TBH after covid I thought my sleep was ruined JDP knows from all the back and forth. I was living my life based upon my sleep schedule and trying to get sleep. Within the last month I now pass out on the couch randomly again and easily fall back asleep after waking up. Overcoming the experience makes us stronger and able to cope with if we run into it again.

JDP I am still working through some things mentally and meditationg is very helpful. Also I realized there are some life changes that I needed to make and that I was wasnt really happy. Because of work I am living in sort of solitude to how I use to live and this had begun to slowly tear me down not even knowing. I look back and realize Ive always been this anxious person and made a lot of my decisions based on that and now working to overcome those issues.

Good advice and feedback from everyone.

jdp, sorry to hear about your continued psychological problems. As far as I know I never had covid, but the two-month period of insomnia experienced at the end of last year - I still wonder about what caused it. Currently trying to manage the repercussions of it. Have previously considered the idea that much of our depression, anxiety, and fear stems from the need to turn off pain. This often leads to substance addiction (eg., opioids), but also behavioral addiction. Living in a modern environment offers many ways of escaping pain rather than finding the internal resources to manage and eventually overcome it. I decided to block instagram, youtube, and many other websites permanently on my phone and laptop. Mostly because I realized I was using these as an instant source of distraction.

I also downloaded a number of word game and puzzle apps on my phone, which are far better than the "endless scrolling" that often happens on social media platforms. I have not tried Calm yet.

I have also considered that depression is a byproduct of living in our modern society. Extreme social disconnection has become widespread, and this problem was exacerbated by the pandemic. One concept that has recurred to me many times is the "Dunbar number" which proposes that humans evolved living in smaller tight-knit communities of 100-150 people. Such an environment increases social bonding and increased awareness of ourselves and others. In modern society people generally have sprawling social networks consisting many hundreds if not thousands of low-quality superficial relationships with others. One problem with with the current social organization is that there is increasing disparity between a person's private life and a public life. People tend to live in isolation, with a completely private identity and with many personal problems that are kept hidden. In a more communal environment, private identity is de-emphasized in favor of connectedness with others.

Which relates to something else I have focused on - maintain close relations with family. Spend time with them everyday if possible.

helpmyhair, I have been using ashwagandha for a couple of years. Would KSM-66 instead of ashwagandha make a significant difference? I am going to try reading before bed like you suggested. In my own personal case (and probably others as well) I will avoid cannabis for the reason you mentioned - can actually worsen anxiety by making the mind overactive.

Imprisoned,

You basically described the origination of my issues and probably many others.

When I grew up all of the neighbors knew each other and hung out. They acted like second parents. It was almost communal.

Now my life style is very different and i keep longing for a similar situation. When older family members start to pass, family becomes more disconnected. As ive become older friends are having families of their own.

I havent felt more disconnected from those relationships more than now. I would say my brain sees it as a crisis and causes anxiety. So everything you said makes too much sense