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COVID-19, POTS And Coronasomnia: The Strange Connection Between These 3 Conditions

COVID-19, POTS And Coronasomnia: The Strange Connection Between These 3 Conditions
The condition is a form of orthostatic intolerance where the autonomic nervous system fails to regulate your blood pressure and heart rate whenever there is a change in body posture

Symptoms usually appear when you stand up from a reclining position and you get some relief only when you sit or recline

Written by Kashish Sharma |Updated : September 12, 2022 1:01 PM IST

There is some evidence that COVID-19 has been triggering a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, which can make your heartbeat speed up suddenly after you move from sitting or lying down to standing. Essentially an autonomic disorder, the condition is also known to affect one's sleep. The condition primarily affects the blood flow and can manifest in symptoms like lightheadedness, fainting, and an uncomfortable, rapid increase in heartbeat. Symptoms usually appear when one is standing up from a reclining position and one gets relief by sitting or lying back down.

At this stage, it might be a good idea to understand the cause of the rare condition.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Also known as POTS, the condition affects blood circulation and involves the autonomic nervous system of the body (system regulating vital body functions) and the sympathetic nervous system (which initiates fight or flight response). The condition is a form of orthostatic intolerance where the autonomic nervous system fails to regulate your blood pressure and heart rate whenever there is a change in body posture. The condition is not well known and people suffering from it might take a while to get a diagnosis for it.

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Out of sync blood pressure and heart rate

Heart rate and blood pressure work together to keep the blood flowing at a certain pace. The autonomic nervous system of the body is usually behind maintaining the sync between the two parameters. People suffering from POTS are usually not able to coordinate the two vitals when they are changing postures.

Link with COVID

The disease is the most common autonomic dysfunction diagnosed in the United States and is five times more common in women than men. At the 2022 annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic researchers presented findings from 39 patients with POTS who had either suffered from COVID in 2020 or early 2021. The research showed that most of the subjects had suffered from mild COVID and 82 per cent of them were women. As per some experts, while the condition can be triggered by an array of other factors, those with COVID-related POTS usually swing from highs to lows in blood pressure and heart rate.

POTS and Insomnia

As per experts, COVID-induced POTS can make patients spend more time in a fight or flight state. Such patients have more adrenaline, a hypervigilant state and they can't sleep. COVID-related insomnia is a thing and has earned a name in these pandemic years coronasomnia. While insomnia can be triggered by many factors, a rare possibility can also be POTS. People suffering from the syndrome have complained of sleepless nights and night sweating. Studies show that most people suffering from the condition have sleep disturbances. They are also likely to suffer from fatigue and daytime sleeplessness.

As per a report in John Hopkins Medicine Journal, persistent post-COVID-19 insomnia, or 'COVID-somnia' is an increasingly common complaint among COVID-19 survivors and can be a typical symptom of POTS. Among the many factors causing the illness, viral and bacterial infections can also cause the condition. Hence, COVID could be a trigger for people suffering from the condition.

Interesting case study

Reportedly, a Hyderabad-based journalist contracted COVID in 2020. Following her recovery, one day, she fainted on her way to pick up vegetables. Initially, her symptom was taken as COVID-induced fatigue. For quite a long time, her blood pressure remained low and her heart rate high. The fainting episodes were also increasing in frequency. She also complained of blanking out on changing sides while lying in bed. After a series of possible diagnoses like anxiety or an adrenal gland tumour, she found out that she had POTS.

Symptoms to look out for

While the condition is not well known among people and the symptoms often overlap with those associated with other conditions, keeping a close eye on some of them might save you from an exhausting diagnosis - in case you encounter the rare condition:

Severe fatigue

Lightheadedness

Brain fog

Memory problems

Shakiness

Headaches

Spiking pulse rate with minimal or mild physical activity

Chronic nausea and vomiting