Dr. Axe Wire · Study decoded · sleep

Sleep Apnea Common in Long COVID Fatigue, Not Linked to Symptoms

A study of 100 Long COVID patients found sleep apnea in over half, but it didn't explain their fatigue or brain fog.

By Dr. Axe Editorial Team · October 29, 2026 · 1 source · Watch

Photo: Pexels

At a glance

What they found: 53% of fatigued Long COVID patients had sleep apnea, but it was not linked to worse fatigue, quality of life or thinking skills.
Who was studied: 100 Long COVID patients with fatigue and no prior sleep apnea diagnosis, average age 46, 70% women.

A study published October 20, 2026 in GeroScience found that 53% of people with persistent Long COVID fatigue also have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

53%had sleep apnea

20%moderate-severe

100patients tested

Researchers at a Neuro-COVID-19 clinic ran home sleep testing on 100 consecutive patients with Long COVID fatigue after non-hospitalized COVID-19, none with a prior sleep apnea diagnosis.

Patients averaged 46.4 years old; 70% were women. Sleep apnea appeared in 53% overall: 33% mild (5 to 14.9 breathing interruptions per hour) and 20% moderate to severe (15 or more per hour). Male sex, older age and higher BMI were linked to having sleep apnea. But those with and without it did not differ in other health conditions, Long COVID symptom severity, quality-of-life scores, or cognitive test results. Models accounting for interruption count and oxygen drop found neither predicted quality of life or cognition.

Sleep apnea occurred at nearly twice the rate seen in the general US adult population, a gap the authors call striking given overlapping symptoms like fatigue and brain fog. Sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway and dropping blood oxygen; this background mechanism was not specifically tested here. The authors conclude the moderate-to-severe cases, a fifth of the group, are clinically significant and warrant treatment to prevent long-term cardiopulmonary complications, regardless of their link to Long COVID symptoms.

Sleep Apnea Severity Among 100 Long COVID Fatigue Patients

GeroScience, 2026, Bawa et al.

This cross-sectional sample came from one specialty clinic with no comparison group tested for other fatigue causes and no follow-up after treatment, so whether treating sleep apnea changes symptoms is not yet shown; larger, longer studies are the next step.

Dr. Axe’s Take

Over half these fatigued Long COVID patients had sleep apnea, but it was not tracking with their fatigue, brain fog or quality of life. That does not make it irrelevant: a fifth had moderate to severe cases that warrant treatment for heart and lung health on their own. My read is that anyone with lingering Long COVID fatigue should still get a sleep study, since untreated sleep apnea carries real risk. I would not expect fixing sleep alone to resolve Long COVID fatigue. Support mitochondrial energy with salmon, walnuts, leafy greens and morning sunlight, and work with a doctor on root causes.

— Dr. Axe

Take the Cortisol Quiz →

Study summary

Who: 100 Long COVID patients with fatigue, no prior sleep apnea diagnosis, average age 46.4, 70% female.
Design: Observational study using home sleep testing at a Neuro-COVID-19 clinic.
Dose: Not applicable; diagnostic home sleep test measuring breathing interruptions per hour.
Primary result: 53% had sleep apnea (33% mild, 20% moderate to severe), nearly double the US adult average.
Secondary: No significant differences between those with and without sleep apnea in symptom burden, quality of life, or cognitive test scores; breathing-interruption count and oxygen drop did not predict quality of life or cognition.
Funding / conflicts: Funder listed in the journal record: NIH/NIA. The authors declare no competing interests.
Date: Oct 20, 2026