Sleep quality issues in older adults with Long Covid

Summary:

This regards worsening sleep since COVID-19 infection and calls for studies on whether sleep issues could contribute towards developing Long Covid.

Du, M. et al. (2025) summarised by Graciela Maitland

Introduction

This study looked at the relationship between sleep quality and Long Covid in people aged 60 years and older. The aim was to understand how poor sleep affects the various symptoms that continue after a COVID-19 infection, and for healthcare providers to offer better care. Ultimately, the findings suggested that poor sleep is linked to various Long Covid symptoms, such as issues related to general health, heart problems, digestive troubles, and mental health challenges.

Summary

Many older adults face sleep problems, and these have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stress caused by outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19 can exacerbate sleep issues further, especially for vulnerable groups such as older women, minorities, and those living alone. Other health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, breathing difficulties, and muscle weakness, are also closely linked to sleep difficulties. People who already had trouble sleeping before the pandemic were more likely to become ill from COVID-19, require hospitalisation, experience severe complications, and suffer long-lasting symptoms. About 47% of older people reported a decline in their sleep quality during this period.

This research, which involved 4781 patients with COVID-19, was conducted by researchers from Peking University in Anning, Yunnan, China, during April and May 2023. The average participant age was around 72 years, and 57% of them were women.  It found that 57.4% of older adults experienced Long Covid. The most common problems included fatigue and body aches, which affected 47.7% of those studied. Additionally, 35.2% reported having breathing issues, like shortness of breath, while 8.7% had stomach-related problems. Around 5.8%, experienced neurological symptoms (brain, nerve or mental health). Nearly 40% of the participants had difficulty sleeping well.

Conclusion

These findings show that poor sleep can be connected to Long Covid symptoms, especially among older adults. These symptoms can affect various areas, including overall health, heart health, digestive issues, and mental wellbeing. It’s essential to focus on improving sleep quality as part of managing Long Covid, especially since many older adults face multiple health challenges. More studies, particularly those that thoroughly test sleep treatments, are needed to understand how better sleep might help with Long Covid symptoms, plus whether poor sleep could increase the chances of developing Long Covid. Overall, there isn’t a lot of research on this topic specifically for older patients, making it a crucial area for future exploration.

Read the study here