You toss and turn.
You check the time repeatedly. Minute by minute. Hour by hour. Your brain just doesn’t want to keep quiet.
Does this sound familiar?
After something traumatic occurs, it is common for people to suffer with PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. While it is more commonly associated with people who have returned from war or gone through sexual abuse, anyone, for any reason can experience this.
There are many effects that PTSD can have on a person’s mind and body. Some of these effects include:
- Impaired memory
- Panic attacks
- Difficulty concentrating
- Withdrawing from social support systems
- Mood swings
One of the most common symptoms after a traumatic experience that many will experience is problems with sleep.
How Does PTSD Affect Sleep?
The relationship between sleep and PTSD is complicated. While most mental health issues commonly include sleep problems, PTSD is one of the few where it is considered as part of the disorder.
Issues surrounding sleep are one of the earliest signs of PTSD. Some common sleep issues people experience could be:
- Insomnia – Insomnia is caused when an individual is not able to relax. At times, it is a lingering effect of when a person was in a constant state of alertness at night. Worsening issues of insomnia is when a person stresses over not being able to sleep.
- Nightmares – After a traumatic event, it is common for people to experience nightmares or night terrors. When someone experiences this, it often makes going back to sleep difficult.
The REM Cycle and Trauma
When the body enters into a state of REM, this is when we get the deepest amount of sleep. The REM cycle helps to stimulate areas of the brain that are responsible for learning and making/retaining memories.
After a traumatic event, the REM cycle is easily interrupted. The REM cycle is important for the body for a variety of reasons. One of the most important is that it aids in processing memories in a healthy and sustainable way.
Processing painful memories is the core foundation for why many people cannot overcome trauma. Barriers to overcoming trauma often include not being able to process the painful memories in a healthy way.
When someone begins treatment for trauma almost immediately after the event, it can promote greater healing.
Healing From Trauma Is Possible
Trauma may impact sleep, but the reverse is true also.
Healing from trauma is possible and has a direct correlation with sleep. Various experts in the field of trauma are noting that entering REM sleep cycles more frequently heals trauma.
The REM cycle is when we most often dream. It is during this time that the brain suppresses chemical directly relating to stress.
During the REM sleep cycle, memories are put into perspective and reactivated. But, since the chemicals are being suppressed during this time, it allows for healthier healing.
It is becoming more well known that the periods that we sleep for are the times when the body has the most optimal chance of healing. So it only makes sense that this is the perfect time for healing.
But getting to this point isn’t always the easiest.
Tips For Sleeping When You’ve Gone Through Trauma
That’s all fantastic information, right? But it’s not exactly easy to implement. Maybe you are wondering how you can deal with your insomnia or sleeping problems – here are a few tips.
1. Insomnia: If you are dealing with insomnia, you shouldn’t try to force yourself to sleep. If you notice that you are only getting a solid 4 hours of sleep at a time, go to bed 4 hours before you are due to be up. This will help eventually re-train your brain to get the shut eye that you need.
2. Breathing Techniques – To calm yourself down before bed, you should try to practice deep breathing exercises that can help relax you and put your mind at ease.
Overcoming trauma can feel like it is an obstacle, but it doesn’t have to be. We are ready to support and get you on a road to better sleep and healing.
