It is very common for people with PTSD to experience some type of sleep problem. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve your sleep. The first step is to understand what kind of sleep problem you have and how it is connected to your PTSD. The next step is to learn ways of coping with your sleep problem. There are a number of simple things you can do to immediately improve your sleep. There are also treatments specifically designed to improve the sleep of people with PTSD.
This article provides links to a number of articles that may serve as helpful resources in improving the quality of your sleep.
An Overview of Sleep Problems in PTSD
Studies have found that difficulties falling and/or staying asleep are some of the most commonly reported symptoms reported by people with PTSD. This article describes the different types of sleep problems someone with PTSD might experience, as well as how these sleep problems might develop.
The Symptoms of PTSD
Sleep problems are so common in PTSD that they are considered a symptom of PTSD. They fall under the category of hyperarousal symptoms. You can learn more about the symptoms of PTSD, including hyperarousal symptoms, in this article.
Sleep Apnea in PTSD
Sleep problems are very common among people with PTSD, and one reason for this may be due to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder where a person may have one or more brief (a few seconds to minutes) pauses in their breathing or experience shallow breathing while sleeping. One study found that soldiers with combat-related PTSD exhibited high rates of sleep problems, including sleep apnea. Learn more about this study, as well as sleep apnea in general and its connection to PTSD in particular, in this article.Ways of Improving Your Sleep
Sleep problems are important to address because poor sleep can lead to a number of other problems. A lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can be a factor contributing to stress and mood problems. Poor sleep can also have a negative impact on your physical health. Fortunately, there are a number of simple things you can do to improve the quality and amount of sleep that you get. If you experience sleep problems, try out some of the tips in this article.
A Treatment for Ending Nightmares in PTSD
If you have PTSD, then you know that nightmares can have a tremendous negative impact on your life. Nightmares are considered a re-experiencing symptom of PTSD. Nightmares can greatly interfere with your amount and quality of sleep and can cause high levels of anxiety. Nightmares are also often unaffected by standard treatments for PTSD. Because of this, specialized treatment for nightmares has been developed. One such treatment is Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (or IRT). Learn more about IRT in this article.
What Kind of Sleep Problems Do You Experience?
Do you have PTSD? If so, what kind of sleep problems do you experience and what have you found to be helpful in coping with your sleep problems? Share your experience with and learn from others here.
