{"id":11923,"date":"2020-07-22T17:47:37","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T00:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/btsadv.wpengine.com\/?p=11923"},"modified":"2021-04-09T00:28:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T07:28:52","slug":"why-is-sleep-so-difficult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=11923","title":{"rendered":"Why is Sleep so Difficult?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve barely slept all week. You decide to go to bed early to try to catch up on reset, but once in bed, you lay awake, your thoughts racing. You toss and turn, then decide to get up and grab a glass of water. The process repeats itself until finally, about three hours later, you fall asleep.<\/span> Why is sleep so difficult?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never Ending Pattern<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A noise wakes you. Instantly your thoughts begin to race\u2026 what if he\u2019s back? What if someone is in my house? Is this the end? \u201c<\/span>It\u2019s okay<\/span><\/em>,\u201d you rationalize to yourself, \u201c<\/span>it was probably just the dog<\/span><\/em>.\u201d But even trying to talk yourself down keeps you up for at least another hour. You fall asleep again, only to wake up every hour, following the schedule your abuser kept you on. Most nights follow this pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you relate to this? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleep and PTSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your answer is yes, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder. Aside from sleep disruptions, individuals suffering from PTSD are also likely to wake up screaming or thrashing, wake up often, move frequently during sleep, and have realistic nightmares which can lead to waking up in a state of panic. Being a victim of abuse has clear connections with sleep disruptions, some surveys suggest that 70 percent of people with PTSD experience insomnia and\/or nightmares, according to <\/span>Very Well Health<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthy Ways to Manage Sleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are healthy ways to manage sleep while struggling with PTSD<\/a>. It\u2019s important to not use alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism as you can easily become dependent. Chemical dependency often leads to more disruptions of sleep, including sleep apnea. Lifestyle changes can help people with PTSD sleep more soundly. According to the National Sleep Foundation, referenced in <\/span>Good Therapy<\/span><\/a>, sleep is a habit and with the right changes, sleep patterns can be corrected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be patient with yourself. Change and healing take time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can follow these tips from <\/span>Everyday Healthy<\/span><\/a>, to help heal and reset those patterns:<\/span>
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