A study by M. Al Katatbeh et al titled “Incidence of narcolepsy symptoms after taking COVID-19 vaccines: a Jordanian cross-sectional study” published on 31 July 2024 highlights that a “possible link” between COVID-19 vaccination and the emergence of sleep disorders.
Sleep disorders after vaccination are not uncommon and this study looks into that for COVID-19 “vaccines”. The data was collected using an anonymous free online survey, so there is a realistic possibility of reporting bias.
The sample comprised 873 individuals over the age of 18 years: 388 males (44.4%) and 485 females (55.6%). Over half (51.2%) were in the 18–29 age group. Excluded were those with chronic diseases and/or sleep disorders prior to receiving the vaccine.
Most received two doses two (79.8%) or three (16.4%) doses. The majority received Pfizer (58.6%) and Sinopharm (28.0%). Also, 68.8% received their first dose over 1 year ago. Table 2 containing the results is reproduced below.
As one can see, 425 (48.7% ) reported excessive daytime sleepiness, 178 (20.4%) reported sleep paralysis, 137 (15.7%) reported hypnagogic hallucinations, 219 (25.1%) reported sleep attacks and 369 (42.3%) reported fragmented nighttime sleep.
The study does not confirm nor explore the cause of these symptoms, especially the timing of the onset of narcolepsy symptoms after vaccination. As for the possible cause, referring to other studies, there is the suggestion that
…orexin hypothalamic neurons, which are essential neural substrates in the brain that regulate wakefulness, arousal, and appetite, and mediate some aspects of sickness behavior [Chieffi, Carotenuto, Monda et al, 2017], have a major role in the occurrence of sleepiness following activation of the innate immune system in response to certain COVID-19 vaccines [Garrido-Suarez, 2022]. The study concluded a possible connection between reactogenic inflammatory factors and the hypothalamic circuits involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. This response activates a specific group of GABAergic neurons as well as inhibitory neurons from sleep-promoting regions, resulting in the inhibition of wake-promoting orexin neurons. Additionally, the adenosinergic modulation of sleep-wake signals, in the context of neuron-glial interactions, may also play a role in this process.
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