The study found that 62% of Covid patients had sleep disturbances that were likely to persist for at least 12 months.
Post Date – 12:00 PM, Sunday – 4/16/23
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New Delhi: If you experience shortness of breath post-Covid during the day, also check that you are not sleeping properly, as researchers have now found that disrupted sleep patterns in hospitalized Covid patients may be the cause of the shortness of breath.
A study of patients at 38 institutions in the UK, led by the Universities of Manchester and Leicester, found that 62% of Covid patients had sleep disturbances that were likely to persist for at least 12 months.
The study, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, is the first to highlight a link between two post-COVID-19 symptoms: difficulty breathing and disrupted sleep.
On average, participants hospitalized with Covid-19 slept more than an hour longer than matched participants hospitalized for any reason, but their sleep patterns were less regular (19% reduction on the Sleep Regularity Scale).
The researchers also found that participants with sleep disturbances were more likely to experience anxiety and muscle weakness, which are common post-Covid-19 symptoms.
“Research has found that sleep disturbance may be an important driver of shortness of breath, or shortness of breath, after COVID-19, as it is associated with decreased muscle function and anxiety,” said Dr John Blakely, a clinical scientist and respiratory doctor at the University of Manchester.
Sleep disruption may directly contribute to dyspnea, but decreased muscle function and increased anxiety, two recognized causes of dyspnea, may partially mediate the association between sleep disturbance and dyspnea.
The authors speculate that addressing sleep disruption by reducing anxiety and improving muscle strength in these patients could alleviate dyspnea, but further research is needed.
Understanding the cause of dyspnea is complicated because it can be caused by conditions that affect the respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular, and mental health systems.
“Our findings suggest that sleep disturbance is a common problem after hospitalization for Covid-19 and is associated with difficulty breathing. We also show that this may persist for at least 12 months,” said lead study author Callum from the University of Manchester. Jackson said.
