This sounds a lot like sleep apnea symptoms. A sleep study would be well worth it. It may sound like a headache to go sleep in a lab, but if it is sleep apnea the positive life changes of treating it are beyond worth it.

I used to wake with near panic attack just like that.... turns out I wasn’t breathing well. And you don’t have to be overweight to have sleep apnea. Since treating it, I sleep like a baby.

Maybe covid induces some type of central sleep apnea?