Healing from trauma is everything but not a linear experience with a final destination you should reach. In fact, it is a continuous process of taking care of yourself. And sleep is one of the most important factors to consider during this process. The reason for this is that the body needs good-quality sleep to process memories and emotions and rejuvenate.

That said, if trauma or anxiety is causing you trouble falling and staying asleep, you’d better try the following tips and get enough of that all-important sleep and rest to heal.

1. 1. Understand Your Body’s Responses and Reactions

First and foremost, you have to learn more about the way your body responds and reacts to trauma as the impact can linger long after its occurrence. Being able to understand and put words to the issue is the first step toward pursuing a solution. Thus, research, read, listen, and seek professional help to understand what your body is going through.

2. 2. Try Out Breathing Exercises and Meditation

Ask any expert out there and they will tell you for sure that meditation is a great tool you can access at any time to decrease anxiety and help your body relax. Focusing on your breathing and following a guided meditation session can clear your mind and allow a safe space to process your overwhelming emotions or memories. Hence, try to incorporate meditation into your daily routine.

3. 3. If You Can’t Fall Asleep,Get Out of Bed

Struggling to fall asleep longer than 20 minutes? – Then, get out of bed and stop watching the clock tick away. Instead of tossing and turning in bed, step away and go to another room, find a comfortable space, and do some calming activity you enjoy doing, for instance, reading, listening to soft music, or meditating.

4. 4. Focus on Your Sleep Environment

Next, you should pay serious attention to your sleep environment, that is your bedroom. You should initially think and assess how the space makes you feel and whether any items may trigger anxiety. If so, get rid of all of them and introduce new elements that may stimulate relaxation like candles, twinkle lights, plants, a white noise machine, etc.

5. 5. Integrate Other Types of Rest

In general, people mistakenly consider sleep to be the only type of rest. But, you can allow your mind to reset by integrating other types of rest into your awake hours. It could be as simple as postponing something challenging when having a hard week, taking a mental health day, or enjoying a massage or a day at the spa.

6. 6. Consider Joining a Trauma-Informed Yoga Class

Similar to meditation, you could also try attending trauma-informed yoga classes and practice breathing, yoga poses, and mantras specifically designed to help trauma survivors. Joining such a class will help you manage the effects of trauma on your body, brain, and spirit. It will empower you to release trapped negative energies and support the healing process.

7. 7. Follow a Healthy Bedtime Routine

Finally, if trauma is ruining your sleep, you should try following a bedtime ritual routine which you should stick to every night so that it acts as a healthy distraction and minimize potential anxiety triggers. You could detach from electronic gadgets that emit harmful blue light for at least two hours before bedtime, take a shower, read a book, etc., - whatever you enjoy.

The bottom line, healing from trauma takes a lot of energy and time. Luckily, with the help of the above-listed tips, you could soon say goodbye to those difficult sleepless nights.