Gearing up for better nights
Sleep is a recovery tool, but it is not a cure-all. In long Covid and other chronic conditions, poor sleep can amplify fatigue, pain, and cognitive sluggishness the next day. That makes sleep quality especially important, yet it also means improvements in bedtime routine may help symptoms without necessarily addressing the underlying condition itself.
The evidence for popular sleep supports is uneven. Pillows, supplements, melatonin, and sound-based relaxation can be useful for some people, but responses vary widely. A benefit in one person may reflect better comfort, lower arousal, or improved routine rather than a direct biological effect of the product itself. That distinction matters because it helps set realistic expectations and reduces pressure to find a single โfix.โ
There are also trade-offs to consider. Anything that helps people fall asleep faster can still bring downsides, such as next-day grogginess, reliance on a short-term aid, or disappointment if symptoms rebound. For people managing long-term illness, the most sustainable gains often come from layered changes: consistent sleep timing, attention to discomfort triggers, and reducing stimulation before bed. Small adjustments may be more practical than dramatic overhauls.
Most importantly, sleep changes should be matched to the individual. Long Covid is heterogeneous, so what calms one nervous system may do little for another. That is why symptom tracking, patience, and clinician guidance can be more useful than assuming one intervention will work for everyone. The broader lesson is not that sleep is optional, but that sleep strategies work best when they are treated as experiments rather than promises.
Ergonomic pillows and nature sounds
When it comes to managing long Covid, there are some aspects Iย really have to keep on top of, likeย nutrition,ย stress management and sleep.
Not so long ago,ย I was used to getting less than seven hoursโย worth of slumber on average, due to a hectic lifestyle andย bouts of insomnia โย but I could still function the next day. Now if I donโtย get aย minimal amountย of shut-eye, the potential exhaustion andย brain fog brought onย 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 โ which target infections โ 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, helpingย to fight illnesses. Enough sleep isย also thought to protect against a host of ailments from heart disease to cancer andย dementia.
Since the summer, Iโve heeded doctorsโ advice and taken steps to try to sleep not just longer, but better. One personal gamechanger has been a pillow designedย 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 takingย magnesium tablets and have been listening to sleep music or nature sounds via a meditation app. Iโve found it soothes my mind before dozing off, setting the stage for a more serene night.ย Researchersย have used brain imaging to showย thatย nature sounds can help promote relaxation. And taking an antihistamineย before bedtimeย has stopped the itchiness that occursย as a result of hives (anotherย one of my long Covid symptoms), which also affectedย my sleep.
The latest addition has beenย melatonin, prescribed by my doctor on a short-term basis. It has helped me fall asleep faster,ย although I initially noticed sometimes feeling tired the next morning. Scientists have pointed to theย hormoneย known for synchronizingย circadian rhythms as a promising way to alleviateย symptoms such as brain fog andย painย in long Covid patients, calling for more research on the topic.
Overall Iโm having to experiment with what works and what doesnโt because long Covid is such a diverse andย confounding problem that scientists are still struggling to understand. โThere are a lot of different types of long Covid,โย Deborah Birx, a former pandemic advisor at the US White House, said Wednesdayย in an interview on News Nation.ย โWe need to get to the place where we’ve done the research so that people with long Covid not only survive but thrive.โ
Melatonin, for one, doesnโt helpย everyone and some doctorsย cautionย against relying onย it because of the potential to throw a personโs system out of balance.
My long Covid recovery continues to ebb and flow, though I think the overall trajectory is upward โย particularly now that Iโve improved my diet and sleep. And although the need for early nights means missing out on some social activities, at least Dry January means Iโm not the only one hibernating. โ Lisa Pham
Enjoyed this article? Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular insights and stay connected.