Trauma and Sleep

Posted on by

Many of us know that dreadful feeling of laying awake in the middle of the night, unable to close our eyes for any meaningful length of time. Stress, blue light from screens, exercising too late, too much caffeine, as well as consuming alcohol or drugs can have a potentially negative impact on our sleep routines and quality of sleep. Traumatic experiences can also negatively affect the quality and amount of sleep a person gets. After a traumatic experience it is common for the brain to be overstimulated and for there to be an influx of neurochemicals that disrupt normal sleep cycles. Heightened alertness, flashbacks and nightmares can cause serious sleep disturbances and may also lead to a fear of falling asleep itself.

If you have experienced trauma you may find your sleep impacted and may experience some or all of the following challenges:

  • Anxiety, stress or depression, which may occur as a result of trauma
  • Nightmares and upsetting dreams in which the trauma replays itself in your mind
  • Night sweats
  • Night terrors
  • Sleep paralysis, which prevents movement or speaking and at times includes hallucinations
  • Insomnia

 

Tips on Getting a Better Sleep

Victims of human trafficking are often subjected to long days and little sleep – sleep may also be irregular, particularly in situations of sex trafficking. This means that once the victims have left their situation, their body needs time to adjust itself to a healthy sleeping schedule, while sometimes having to cope with trauma. Unfortunately, getting a good night’s sleep when living with the effects of trauma can be challenging, which can be tricky as sleep is one of the ways the body uses to process trauma. To help you get a better sleep, we have put together a list of potential strategies that we hope will be helpful:

Carefully consider your routine in the one-to-two hours prior to going to bed, and whenever possible:

    • Incorporate activities that make you feel relaxed (e.g. light a candle, take a warm bath, listen to music, an audio book or guided meditation, read a book, etc.).
    • Avoid screens as the blue light is proven to negatively affect the body’s ability to produce a sleep hormone called melatonin.
    • Avoid alcohol and drugs. Although they may help some people fall asleep, they are known to impact a person’s quality of sleep.
    • Try to limit your intake of caffeine in the afternoon and evening and avoid foods known to disrupt sleep.
    • Ensure you get adequate exercise and outdoor exposure as daylight plays a significant role in regulating our internal clocks.
    • Try to go to bed at the same time each day and limit naps to thirty minutes.
    • Consider also keeping a sleep diary, as this can be helpful in understanding sleep routines and implementing tools to support better sleep.

Consider the environment where you are sleeping, and if possible:

    • Choose a space in the home that feels safe and comfortable. If you are currently sleeping in a room that you have experienced trauma, consider sleeping in a different room, even temporarily as you start to recover from the trauma. If being alone is a source of anxiety, ask a friend, family member, or have a pet stay in the room or nearby while you are sleeping.
    • Consider making your bedroom a place just for sleep, avoid television or cellphone use in bed.
    • Darkness is linked to healthier sleep. However, different levels of light affect people differently, and the dark can feel unsafe for some people. If this is the case for you, consider using a small lamp or nightlight. As you get more comfortable with sleep you can progressively try to turn it off.
    • Ear plugs or white noise may help reduce unwanted or intrusive noise from the outside.

Lying in bed unable to sleep is a frustrating experience to say the least. In those moments, consider doing the following:

    • Focus on relaxation rather than the act of sleep itself. For example, you could try focussing on the rhythm of your breath.
    • As tempting as it is, avoid reaching for your phone or another electronic device.
    • If you feel that too much time has passed and you still can’t sleep, get out of bed and try doing an activity that is non-alerting or high in relaxation for you, such as reading a book. When you start to feel drowsy, return to your bed.

We hope that you will find these suggestions useful, however, we do not expect or encourage you to try and do everything right away. Take it one step at a time and start with the ideas that seem most doable for you. Remember, you know yourself and your situation best.

If you continue to experience difficulty sleeping and it is affecting your day-to-day activities, it is important to speak with professionals such as a doctor or counsellor. The tips outlined above are general in nature and a professional such as a doctor or counsellor can assist in your specific situation or discuss other interventions.

 

Resources

The following apps and websites could help you practice self-care at home using your smartphone. Since everyone is different, it is normal that some resources might appeal to some more than others. Therefore, if one resource does not work for you, don’t give up and try the next one on the list!

Please note, access to some content within apps require a paid subscription. The apps can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store or Google Play store, and are compatible on most iOS and Android mobile devices. If you have a smartphone or tablet that does not support one of these app stores, you can generally still access the full library of content through your mobile browser.

Apps:

A free, easy-to-use mobile application. It was released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2013. The app is meant to be used by Veterans, Servicemembers, and others who have trouble sleeping and are engaged in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) with a clinical provider. Although CBT-i Coach can be used on its own, it is not meant to replace therapy for those who need it

App designed to help reduce anxiety, restlessness and sleep better. This app provides free, guided meditation, breathing and mindfulness tips to promote relaxation, reduce stress and enhance focus.

App designed to help sleep and focus better, and reduce anxiety and stress through mindfulness and meditation.

 

Links:

 

Sources: