Introduction
If you’re reading this at 3 a.m.—again—you’re not alone. For many of us, post-covid insomnia isn’t just a few rough nights. It’s a cycle that feels endless, and it rarely gets the airtime it deserves. Maybe you’ve already tried the usual sleep advice and left doctor’s offices with more questions than answers. This article is for you: a clear, honest look at how long post-covid insomnia can last, why it happens, what might actually help, and what you can do today to make things a bit more manageable.
Quick Take for Low-Energy Days
Post-covid insomnia is frustratingly common and can last anywhere from a few weeks to over a year. For some, sleep slowly returns; for others, it’s a long, unpredictable process with good and bad nights. There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline, and even people with “mild” covid can struggle with ongoing insomnia. Things like stress, other long covid symptoms, and changes in routine can all make it harder to recover.
If you’re dealing with this, you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. Many long-haulers have found it helpful to keep a simple sleep journal, notice what patterns make things better or worse, and build gentle routines at night. Try to avoid screens and caffeine in the evening, experiment with calming audio (binaural beats, white noise or sleep stories), gentle stretching, or even getting up and changing scenery for a bit if you’re stuck awake. Sometimes, tiny changes—like blackout curtains or a quality sleep mask (check out Manta Sleep or Therabody), weighted blankets, herbal teas, or magnesium (with your doctor’s okay)—can make a difference.
Remember: improvement can be slow, but it does happen for many people. If you go several nights with no sleep at all, start having confusion, or your mental health takes a turn, don’t wait—reach out for help. You deserve support, and every small win counts.
What Is Post Covid Insomnia & Why Is It So Common?
Insomnia after covid isn’t just about trouble falling asleep. For some, it means waking up wired at 2 a.m. and staring at the ceiling until dawn. For others, it’s shallow, restless sleep that never feels like enough.
What makes it so common? Covid-19 can hit the nervous system, mess with hormones, and ramp up anxiety, all of which can scramble normal sleep patterns. And if you’re also dealing with brain fog, pain, or breathlessness, good sleep can feel miles out of reach [1] [2].
How Long Does Post Covid Insomnia Last?
The short answer: There’s no single timeline.
The real answer: It varies—sometimes a lot.
What we’ve seen and what research says:
- For some, sleep slowly improves over a few weeks after recovering from covid.
- For others, insomnia lingers for months—even after other symptoms fade.
- Studies show anywhere from 20% to 50% of people with long covid report sleep issues, sometimes persisting 6–12 months or longer [3] [4] [5].
- “Mild” cases can struggle just as much as those who were hospitalized [4] [5].
Real-world: In our community, some people see sleep start to improve at 3 months, while others are still tracking ups and downs several years later. There’s no set finish line, but improvement is possible—even if it’s slow and unpredictable.
What Affects Recovery Time?
Recovery is rarely linear, and a few key factors play a role:
- How severe your initial covid was
- Other ongoing symptoms (anxiety, pain, breathing issues, etc.)
- Your age and health history
- Stress, trauma, and life disruptions
- Hormonal changes or medication effects
- Sleep environment and routines
- How soon you started experimenting with symptom support
Some people find that small changes add up. Others need more time and support. “Most of us aren’t doctors—and we’re exhausted from trying to become one overnight.” Tracking what helps (and what doesn’t) can make a difference [6].
When to Seek Help for Post Covid Insomnia
While post-covid insomnia is frustrating, sometimes it’s a sign you need extra support—especially if it starts to affect your safety or mental health.
Red flags to watch for:
- No sleep at all for several nights in a row
- Hallucinations, confusion, or new memory problems
- Worsening depression or anxiety
- Thoughts of self-harm
- New or severe heart palpitations, chest pain, or breathing issues
If any of these sound familiar, reach out to your doctor or a mental health professional. Sleep is critical—your well-being matters.
Pro tip: You don’t need to wait for things to get “bad enough” to ask for help. Support early and often is better than toughing it out alone.
Practical Tips for Managing Post Covid Insomnia
Here’s what’s actually helped people in our community—not cures, but real strategies that might make nights less brutal:
Self-Care at Home
- Keep a notebook by your bed. Jot down what works, what doesn’t, and any patterns you notice.
- Stick to a gentle wind-down routine, even if sleep still feels out of reach.
- Limit news, screens, and caffeine after sunset.
- We find limiting food intake at least three hours before bed can be helpful.
- Wear blue light blocking and amber tinted glasses until bedtime.
- Experiment with calming audio (binaural beats on your favorite listening app), white noise, or sleep stories. I have a Sonos Play 1 on my night table and stream low level audio every night.
- Gentle stretches before bed. I have found low level chronic pain (sometimes I even forget it is there) to be a consistent source for my insomnia. Having a stretching routine using my bed for balance can be very calming and a great pain reliever. Just be careful not to fully bend over too much (putting your head below your heart) if you are suffering from POTS symptoms.
- Don’t fight sleeplessness—sometimes getting up for a few minutes can reset your system.
Symptom Support Tools and Community Aids
There’s no one-size-fits-all protocol, but here’s what’s been in the “stack” for some of us:
- Weighted blankets or blackout curtains
- Comfortable sleep mask
- Low-dose melatonin an hour before bed can be helpful for falling asleep but you may still wake up several hours later.
- Track your sleep so that you can better understand what works. I have found the Oura ring helpful to understand changes to REM and Deep sleep and importantly, HRV, an indicator of overall health. There are many wearables that offer sleep tracking so look into options that best suit you.
- Ask your doctor about prescription options to get you through rough patches. Ask for options that do minimally inhibit REM and deep sleep which are already deeply affected by Long Covid insomnia.
- Blue-light-blocking glasses with amber tinting in the evening
- Magnesium supplements (always check with your doc first)
- Herbal teas (chamomile), aromatherapy, or a warm bath before bed
- Using an app or paper journal to track what helps
- If you have trouble regulating your temperature, you might consider splurging on an 8 sleep heating/cooling sleeping pad. It is expensive but I have found my sleep improved significantly with this.
Explore options, but take it slow. “Take what helps. Leave what doesn’t. You’re still in control.” Find a rhythm, not a miracle [6].
Real Stories from the Community
“My insomnia was relentless for three months. Melatonin didn’t work, but tracking my symptoms finally showed me that daytime naps were hurting more than helping. Tiny changes, slowly.”
“Sleep improved around the six-month mark—right when I thought it never would. It was two steps forward, one step back, but it’s finally better.”
“The anxiety about not sleeping was worse than the insomnia itself. Once I started focusing on what I could control, the pressure let up a little.”
FAQs About Post Covid Insomnia
Q: Can post-covid insomnia come back after it gets better?
A: Yes. It often ebbs and flows. Flare-ups can happen with stress, illness, or changes in routine [2].
Q: Is insomnia after covid a sign of permanent damage?
Not usually. Most people improve over time, even if it’s slow. If symptoms worsen, check in with your doctor [3] [5].
Q: Will it ever go away?
For many, it gradually improves. There’s no set timeline, but you’re not stuck forever—even if it sometimes feels that way [1] [2] [3].
Find More Support
Need more answers? Check out our FAQ hub, join our community, or explore our Managing Symptoms Guides. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
Conclusion
Post-covid insomnia can feel endless, but you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. Track what helps, lean on the community, and keep pushing for answers. Progress might be slow, but every small win matters. We built this to be the resource we wished existed when we were at rock bottom [6] but check back - our advice may change as the science evolves!
Other Resources That Could Help You
References
- Ada Health: COVID-19 Symptoms—Insomnia. An overview of how and why insomnia appears after covid, with practical advice.
- Cognitive FX USA: Can’t Sleep After COVID? How to Treat COVID Insomnia. Deep dive into post-covid sleep disruption, causes, and actionable strategies.
- ThoracResPract: Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Sleep Patterns. Medical research on the prevalence and duration of sleep issues after covid.
- CIDRAP: Insomnia Common Months After Even Mild COVID-19. Summary of major research findings on post-covid insomnia rates and persistence.
- Everyday Health: Even Mild COVID May Raise Insomnia Risk. Covers prevalence, persistence, and why even non-severe cases struggle with sleep.
