They have nightmares and cannot sleep. The psychiatrist tells what the convalescents suffer from

Coronavirus very often attacks the cells of the nervous system, and the effects of infection include sleep. Dr. Monika Konopczak, a psychiatrist with many years of clinical experience specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, warns against the dangers of insomnia.

1. Sleep problems are reported by as many as one in five patients after COVID-19
2. Insomnia worsens everyday functioning, lowers self-esteem, reduces efficiency, worsens memory and concentration
3. If the course of the coronavirus infection has been extremely dramatic, the consequences may be symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
4. I had a patient who was hospitalized because of an infection. Although he recovered, he was aware of the imminence of death. He was very afraid that he would die in his sleep – says Dr. Monika Konopczak, a psychiatrist
5. Respond before it’s too late. Get to know your Health Index!
6. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Edyta Brzozowska, Medonet: Since we are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, we hear about insomnia more and more often and louder. Many people complain about the problem, including convalescents.

Dr. Monika Konopczak, psychiatrist, specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders: Indeed, sleep disturbance in patients who have contracted COVID-19 is a very common problem. They can worsen in people who have had such problems before, and also in patients who have never had trouble sleeping before.

There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. We already know for sure that COVID-19 infection increases the risk of depression and anxiety disorders. It is possible that the reason for this is a direct effect of the virus on the brain tissue that changes its functioning, as well as an indirect effect. I mean the fact that people who fell ill, “on their own skin” felt that the pandemic also affects themselves, the infection may happen to someone from their close environment, family, children. They begin to feel fear, a state of uncertainty, helplessness, fears for their own and their loved ones’ life and health. A prolonged stress reaction negatively affects sleep, causing sleep disturbances.

The rest of the text is below the video.

Insomnia is also one of the symptoms of the so-called covid fog?

This is not a strictly medical term, but it is a symptom complex. They are reported by patients who, after the infection has passed and its acute symptoms have subsided, begin to notice difficulties in everyday functioning.

What do they complain about then?

Dr. Monika Konopczak

Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and disturbance in concentration. There are also cognitive disorders, problems with remembering, difficulties with expressing oneself. And the aforementioned sleep disorders, mainly in the form of interrupted and non-regenerative sleep and increased sleepiness during the day. These ailments can persist for up to six months after contracting COVID-19.

There have been numerous studies, including those who died as a result of COVID-19. It was found that in the brains of these people there was increased inflammation, and an increased number of pro-inflammatory cytokines was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. The cause of this condition is an autoimmune reaction, where the patient’s antibodies fight against their own tissues. The brains of these people also had smaller and larger haemorrhagic infarctions – micro-strokes, as well as the multiplication of glial cells, which are something like a “scaffold” of the brain around which the damaged nerve cells were.

What types of sleep disorders can be distinguished among COVID-19 patients?

In insomnia, we most often observe problems with falling asleep. Sleep, if it does occur, is intermittent, with frequent awakenings. This means that rest is ineffective, it does not give rest. This type of disorder is reported by as many as one in five covid fog patients.

Other commonly observed sleep anomalies also include nightmares. If the course of the coronavirus infection has been extremely dramatic, the consequences may be symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

We are talking about a dramatic course, among others, when the patient required invasive oxygen therapy, connection to a ventilator, his life was in danger.

Since these patients have a history of borderline experience, they may develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. One of its main symptoms is sleep disturbance, mainly in the form of nightmares and insomnia. In my practice, I met a patient who was hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and although he recovered, he was aware of the imminence of death. He began to feel tremendous fear. He was very afraid that he would die in his sleep, so he could not sleep, function normally. So psychiatric intervention turned out to be necessary for this gentleman.

Is the state of permanent mental tension also contributing to insomnia?

Of course. Especially when the patient remains in this state for a long time. The pandemic that has been going on for two years, the end of which, unfortunately, is still not in sight, fear of illness, death, uncertainty, fears about the future, health and financial situation – these are the causes of prolonged stress. Prolonged stress response is not conducive to good-quality sleep, which is neither relaxing nor restorative. The rush of persistent thoughts and fears that accompany us before going to sleep make it difficult to fall asleep. Over time, this favors the formation of a self-propelling “vicious circle”, when a person begins to fear that he will not fall asleep, which causes increasing anxiety and agitation. So there is a fear of going to bed. The insomnia that may have been temporary until now is starting to persist. It becomes a chronic problem.

1. Weighted blankets, which are available in various designs and sizes at Medonet Market, can assist in the treatment of insomnia.

Can we have sleep problems even if we avoided COVID-19?

Of course. After all, for many months we have been constantly informed about the pandemic, its death tolls, we fear for our loved ones, our future. We ask ourselves: won’t we lose our job? How will we continue to operate? We have constant fears at the back of our heads, also in terms of lifestyle changes and the quality of social functioning. And constant uncertainty is a condition that has a very bad effect on a person’s mental well-being. Hence, it is close to sleep problems.

What are the psychological consequences of long-term insomnia?

An increased tendency to the occurrence of anxiety and depressive disorders is observed. Insomnia worsens our social and professional functioning, which lowers self-esteem, reduces efficiency, worsens memory and concentration.

People often underestimate sleep problems. They believe that it “will pass itself”, they reach for herbs.

I would distinguish between the sleep problems we experience, for example, during colds, various viral infections. In these cases, insomnia is an infection-related reaction, the body’s physiological response. It is short-lived, transient. However, when insomnia persists for two weeks or longer after the symptoms of infection have subsided, and herbs – most often lemon balm or valerian – are not enough, it is worth consulting specialists. Unfortunately, it happens that people with sleep disorders drink alcohol in the evening, which in the long run can have disastrous, dangerous consequences.

And it is always worth taking care of sleep hygiene.

Of course. People after contracting COVID-19 are advised to live a healthy lifestyle – a proper diet, adequate daytime activity adequate to their physical condition, frequent outdoor activities. It is worth taking care of the same time of going to the night rest and getting up in the morning, as well as reducing the time spent in bed when we are awake.

Also read:

1. “Beginning of the end of the epidemic”. Is this the end of the fifth wave? A chart of infections in Poland
2. Sweden lifted almost all restrictions and opened its borders. From the beginning, it went against the tide
3. The number of infections in the world is falling, but the WHO warns: COVID is not over yet
4. How long have you contaminated with Omikron? [WE EXPLAIN]