Ergonomic pillows and nature sounds
When it comes to managing long Covid, there are some aspects I really have to keep on top of, like nutrition, stress management and sleep.
Not so long ago, I was used to getting less than seven hours’ worth of slumber on average, due to a hectic lifestyle and bouts of insomnia — but I could still function the next day. Now if I don’t get a minimal amount of shut-eye, the potential exhaustion and brain fog brought on by long Covid simply make it impossible for me to muddle through.
Sleep is the time for our bodies and brains to repair and recover. Proteins called cytokines — which target infections — are produced and released. A study by researchers in Germany has found sleep improves the potential ability for some immune cells to attach to their targets, helping to fight illnesses. Enough sleep is also thought to protect against a host of ailments from heart disease to cancer and dementia.
Since the summer, I’ve heeded doctors’ advice and taken steps to try to sleep not just longer, but better. One personal gamechanger has been a pillow designed for people who lie on their side, giving my neck the right level of support during the night. I was previously a tosser and turner, which sometimes kept me awake.
I also started taking magnesium tablets and have been listening to sleep music or nature sounds via a meditation app. I’ve found it soothes my mind before dozing off, setting the stage for a more serene night. Researchers have used brain imaging to show that nature sounds can help promote relaxation. And taking an antihistamine before bedtime has stopped the itchiness that occurs as a result of hives (another one of my long Covid symptoms), which also affected my sleep.
The latest addition has been melatonin, prescribed by my doctor on a short-term basis. It has helped me fall asleep faster, although I initially noticed sometimes feeling tired the next morning. Scientists have pointed to the hormone known for synchronizing circadian rhythms as a promising way to alleviate symptoms such as brain fog and pain in long Covid patients, calling for more research on the topic.
Overall I’m having to experiment with what works and what doesn’t because long Covid is such a diverse and confounding problem that scientists are still struggling to understand. “There are a lot of different types of long Covid,” Deborah Birx, a former pandemic advisor at the US White House, said Wednesday in an interview on News Nation. “We need to get to the place where we’ve done the research so that people with long Covid not only survive but thrive.”
Melatonin, for one, doesn’t help everyone and some doctors caution against relying on it because of the potential to throw a person’s system out of balance.
My long Covid recovery continues to ebb and flow, though I think the overall trajectory is upward — particularly now that I’ve improved my diet and sleep. And although the need for early nights means missing out on some social activities, at least Dry January means I’m not the only one hibernating. — Lisa Pham
Enjoyed this article? Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular insights and stay connected.