6. Insomnia
Patients infected with yellow fever may develop insomnia along with their symptoms of fever, headache, and muscle pain. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder where the brain remains in a conscious state, even if the body and mind feel tired and require sleep. The affected individual spends their evening tossing and turning, never reaching REM sleep.
As a result, the affected patient may feel like they don’t know if they slept last night, and the effects of a lack of sleep may exacerbate their symptoms of delirium and headaches. While we sleep, the brain clears neurological pathways of toxins accumulated during the waking hours of the day.
If the brain does not receive enough restorative sleep – REM sleep, then the patient runs the risk of developing mental health issues, such as paranoia and anxiety about their current state of health. Doctors treat insomnia with the use of sleeping drugs, such as Zolpidem tartrate.