Our sleep is important to all aspects of our life. Quality sleep impacts our decision-making, energy levels, physical health, and mental symptoms. A lack of sleep can cause mistakes and heightened mental health symptoms in many people. Childhood or recent trauma impacts sleep in multiple ways. Trauma can lead to further mental health issues and exacerbate the physical effects of the trauma. This blog will discuss how trauma can impact your sleep patterns and ripple into everyday life.
Hyperarousal
One of the most common responses to trauma is hyperarousal. The heightened state of alertness causes individuals to struggle with relaxation. Being able to fall asleep is a luxury when you experience trauma due to frequent nightmares and exaggerated startle responses.
External stimuli are more effective in those who experience trauma. Even if a trigger is not directly related to your trauma, it can cause a disturbance in your conscious or subconscious thoughts.
Nightmares And Re-experiencing Trauma
Another way that trauma impacts sleep is by causing nightmares. Many people struggle to sleep because that is when the flashbacks are at their worst. PTSD and other trauma-related conditions can cause fragmented sleep and exhaustion. Even if you sleep for 8 hours, but have nightmares throughout the night, your quality of sleep will be impacted. Deep sleep is just as important as the longevity of sleep.
Sleep Avoidance
Trauma impacts sleep by causing individuals to have anxiety or hyperactive thoughts leading to sleep avoidance. Many individuals who hold trauma can suffer from insomnia which can make it difficult to get to sleep. The trauma can cause individuals to feel scared of sleep and what may haunt their dreams. Staying up late, watching shows to keep you awake, or partying into the early morning hours can be ways that trauma holders avoid nightmares.
Changes In Your Sleep Structure
Your sleep structure or architecture makes up quality sleep. Deep sleep, REM sleep, and more are important to gaining the benefits of sleep. For sleep to be restorative, healing from trauma and other mental health issues can help. Taking medication or using sleep aids can help keep your sleep structure intact.
The Effect On Emotional And Cognitive Function
Our sleep is the biggest contributor to emotional and cognitive function. Getting enough sleep can make problem-solving much easier. When sleep is limited, our brains struggle to manage irritability, anxiety, anger, and depression. Concentration and discernment are impacted when sleep deprivation is present which can be problematic in everyday life.
Ways To Improve Your Sleep
Improving your sleep can be difficult when you struggle with mental health issues. Taking action to improve your quality of sleep can help during your healing journey and improve your overall health. Here are some ways to help limit trauma responses and get better quality sleep.
Therapy
Seeking individual therapy is the best way to heal from mental health struggles. A therapist can help you see things with a new perspective, develop coping skills, and prescribe medications. Using talk therapy or cognitive methods can help reroute your thoughts to help you take control of your health. Finding the right therapist can help you better understand why the trauma occurred and that it is not your fault.
Nighttime Routine
Establishing a nighttime sleep routine can help set your brain up for quality sleep. Create a schedule where you put your phone away about an hour before bed, participate in some self-care activities, limit caffeine, set up some white noise, and make your bed extra cozy. Making nighttime sleep more enticing can help limit traumas’ impact on sleep.
Medication
Sleep medication or SSRIs can help improve your sleep when dealing with trauma. While medication may not be enough on its own, combining it with therapy and meditation can help make falling asleep less of a chore. Many medications can reduce the likelihood of nightmares and promote relaxation. If you are not looking for prescription medication, many vitamins or melatonin can help induce better sleep.
Trauma Therapy From Ogden Psychological Services
Many individuals will experience trauma at least once in their life. Abuse, car accidents, physical injury, illness, violence, death of a loved one, natural disasters, and abandonment are just some instances that can cause trauma. Our therapists can work with you to learn about different traumatic events in your life and formulate a personalized treatment method. When trauma impacts sleep, it starts to impact every facet of our lives.
Trauma treatment could be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Neurofeedback, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Reach out to our therapists to learn more about their specialties and get started on your healing journey today.
