2024-10-21
46 分钟In this episode, we delve into the profound connection between trauma, attachment wounds, and insomnia. We begin by discussing how secure attachments, particularly with family members like grandparents, can mitigate stress but their loss can trigger insomnia and other physical symptoms. Both hosts share personal anecdotes to highlight the pervasive impact of family disruptions and relational stressors on sleep patterns and mental health. The dialogue underscores how medical trauma exacerbates feelings of vulnerability and helplessness, often leading to severe insomnia. The hosts explore the complicated interplay between trauma-related HPA axis dysregulation and sleep cycles. Dysregulated cortisol levels, triggered by trauma, disrupt the natural circadian rhythm, leading to sleep issues such as frequent awakenings and trouble achieving deep sleep. Jennifer and Elisabeth emphasize that while general sleep hygiene recommendations—such as reducing screen time and exposure to natural light—are useful, they often fall short for trauma survivors. For this group, insomnia is connected more deeply to stress and attachment-related issues, necessitating specialized approaches to treatment. Throughout the discussion, the hosts provide insights into the physiological processes governing sleep, such as homeostatic sleep drive (Process S) and circadian rhythm (Process C). They offer practical advice like morning light exposure and winding down before bed. They also explain how REM and non-REM sleep stages contribute to emotional processing and memory consolidation, making sleep an essential component of recovery and mental health. The episode concludes with actionable tips for better sleep hygiene and stress management, acknowledging the intricate challenges faced by those dealing with complex PTSD and trauma-induced insomnia. Topics Discussed Secure Attachment and Stress : The impact of losing secure attachments, leading to stress and insomnia. Family Disruption : How significant family breakdowns and ongoing conflict impact mental health and sleep. HPA Axis Dysregulation : The role of trauma in disrupting the HPA axis and elevating cortisol levels, affecting sleep cycles. Medical Trauma Impact : The link between medical trauma, vulnerability, and insomnia. Trauma and Circadian Rhythm : How trauma-related dysregulation affects the balance between melatonin and cortisol. Sleep Hygiene Tips : Practical strategies for better sleep, such as exposure to natural light and reducing screen time. REM and Non-REM Sleep : The importance of these sleep stages for emotional processing and memory consolidation. Emotional Flashbacks : How nighttime triggers emotional flashbacks associated with past trauma, disrupting sleep. Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the fall cohort now! https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer on the Brain Based Membership site: https://www.rewiretrial.com Connect with us on social media: @trauma.rewired Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846 FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com Trauma Rewired podcast is intended to educate and inform but does not constitute medical, psychological or other professional advice or services. Always consult a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances before making any decisions based on what you hear. We share our experiences, explore trauma, physical reactions, mental health and disease. If you become distressed by our content, please stop listening and seek professional support when needed. Do not continue to listen if the conversations are having a negative impac
Nowhere is it more evident that the trauma is in the nervous system and the body than when we look at the link between CPTs and insomnia.
Studies have shown that over 90% of individuals with PTSD report experiencing insomnia and sleep troubles.
And this is ongoing for people with CPTs.
A lifelong issue with flare ups impacted by stress.
And as you're going to hear today, we both have really intimate relationship with this conversation.
I have been impacted by insomnia for many years and I really see how it impacts my emotional stress, my emotional reactivity, the way that I then respond to activations which are well patterned in my nervous system, which are pretty maladaptive for healthy relationships.
And then I can see then how my relationships are impacted through the activations, through the lack of sleep and through the overall stress and threat that my nervous system feels when I am deeply fatigued.
And so we're going to share all of that, those kind of stories with you today.
And so yeah, I think it's going to be a powerful and this is going to be a deep conversation.
Absolutely.
And yeah, my sleep has, it's come a long way, but it's still something I struggle with.
And we just moved which is a big stressor.
Right.
That's often rated like the number three stressor after death of a loved one or divorce because of the disruption to your routine, the changes in your environment, the emotional impact of changing homes, communities, financial stress, physical, all these things are going on and cognitively I was really excited about it.
I know this is something that I want, but that stress is there and it tapped into my well worn insomnia pattern.
And so even like right now, as we're recording that, as I'm going through a time where my sleep has been really inconsistent and it's been a struggle to stay asleep.
So thankfully I have neuro tools and stress processing.
But this is a huge issue that is lifelong, like you were saying for people with CPTs.
And we're going to dive into all of that today.
So welcome to Trauma Rewired, the podcast that teaches you about your nervous system, how trauma lives in the body and what you can do to heal.