Abstract Objectives: Sequelae from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are increasingly reported, but sleep disturbances after COVID-19 have had little attention. Aims: This study aimed to identify and compare sleep disturbances and associated correlates among adults who had recovered from COVID-19 and adults who had not had COVID-19. Methods: The sample included 85 recovered COVID-19 participants and 85 adults without COVID-19 (matched on age, sex, education and socioeconomic level). Individuals were recruited from Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt from 1 September to 29 November 2020. Participants were interviewed using a sociodemographic and clinical checklist, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. Results: Most (77%) of the recovered COVID-19 cases had experienced sleep disturbances, compared with 46% of controls. Individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 were more likely to have poor subjective sleep quality (odds ratio (OR) 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1–2.1), prolonged sleep latency (OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3–2.6), shorter sleep duration (OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1–2.2), reduced sleep efficiency (OR 3.8, 95% CI: 2.0–7.1), frequent daytime dysfunction (OR 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2–3.1) and poor global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (OR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.5–6.0). Among COVID-19 participants, female sex (P = 0.034), low-to-medium education level (P = 0.004), depressive (P = 0.002) and anxiety (P = 0.003) symptoms were associated with a poor global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score. Conclusions: Further studies (e.g. population-based longitudinal studies) are needed on sleep disturbances as a potential sequelae of COVID-19 which can impair mental and physical well-being. Keywords: COVID-19, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, Egypt