Trauma is an experience that one has in their life that leaves them with negative effects to their well-being and ability to function. One traumatic event can lead to psychological trauma, and it can build up over time so it is ongoing background stress. 

Most people experience trauma, with 90% of people exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event in their lives. Experiencing trauma can lead to increased risk of mental and physical health issues, including suicide. Continue reading to learn the effect of trauma on the body and sleep.

Effects of trauma on the body

When the brain anticipates a threat, it reacts quickly to protect itself from harm. This is known as "flight or fight" and leads to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This autonomic nervous system increases heart rate, respiratory rate, and makes you hypervigilant with tense muscles. 

After the threat or traumatic experience has ended, that amount of stress becomes one's baseline. Initial reactions can vary, and are normal. Over time, the stress response should subside, but this may not happen. Prolonged feelings of confusion, anxiety, physical arousal, and a problem expressing emotions can all remain present for an extended amount of time. 

These issues can become so deep rooted, that they lead to depression, fatigue, nightmares, and the development of sleep disorders. The longer these issues persist, the more of one's life that they will begin to disrupt. They can even develop into post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD.   

Impacts of trauma on sleep 

Sleep issues are a common side effect of trauma. The alertness and hyperarousal that is a common effect of trauma can interfere with one's ability to sleep. This can lead to insomnia, where one has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep throughout the night, or sleeping until the morning. 

Trauma can also interfere with sleep architecture, which is how the body progresses through the sleep stages and cycles. There seems to be a change in REM sleep, which is where memories are stored and emotions are processed. Rapid eye movement sleep is also the time for dreams, which is most likely why nightmares are a common occurrence in those with trauma. 

Sleep issues after trauma are common, but learning to sleep after trauma is vital. It can reduce intrusive trauma-related memories and make them less distressing. Sleeping can also reduce the risk for developing or worsening mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD. 

Sleep disorders after trauma may also develop. It's rare that this happens, but periodic leg movement disorder, sleep terrors, and REM sleep behavior disorder are all possibilities. It's essential to address, and begin to reverse these issues as quickly as possible. 

Childhood trauma and sleep 

Childhood trauma can effect an individual long after it's happened. The CDC-Kaiser Study about Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) study found that childhood trauma can increase the risk of diseases later in life. They found that the more trauma a child has experienced, the more at risk they are of developing mental and physical health problems, including early death. 

Up to 50% of children who experience trauma have some sort of PTSD after, showing signs of hyper arousal, insomnia, and a negative impact on their brain development. Adults with ACEs, compared to adults without ACEs, are more than twice as likely to have difficulty falling asleep and feel tired after a night's sleep. The effect of ACEs can last up to 50 years, with each additional event causing increased risk of sleep difficulty by 20%. 

Trauma experienced during childhood also increases the severity of insomnia in adulthood. In adult patients diagnosed with insomnia, those with a high number of ACEs had more disrupted sleep than those with fewer or no ACEs.  

Tips for sleeping after trauma  

If you have experienced trauma, and have trouble sleeping, it's vital that you find a solution. Work with your physician, or a sleep health professional to find an approach that works for you. Other tips include: 

• Maintaining a usual sleep schedule as routines are vital for helping someone get back to their sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday is great for regulating your sleep. 
• Sleep where you are safe as trauma can often leave you feeling insane, which makes it hard enough to relax enough for bedtime. Live in a safe environment, and create a space that makes you feel like you are protected. 
• Use relaxation exercises before bed to try and calm your mind and body. You can actively trigger your body's relaxation response through these exercises. 
• Don't force sleep, if you are unable to fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something mundane. Keep the lights, do some reading of a manual or something, and try and relax your mind for bed. 
• Understand that what you're going through is normal and justified. You may need to find a different approach to get a good night's rest, but try not to be too frustrated with yourself or your situation. It takes a positive attitude about sleep to begin overcoming sleep troubles. 

If you struggle with sleep after trauma, please click the orange button below to talk to one of our sleep health professionals.

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/trauma-and-sleep