How to Improve Your Sleep While Managing PTSD

Sleep should offer a chance to recharge, but a 2021 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry noted that as many as 9 in 10 people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) struggle with restful nights.

At HumuHealth Psychiatry, Dr. Olukemi Kuku provides personalized PTSD treatment, psychotherapy, and medication management for patients in Fairfield and Pleasant Hill, California.

Unfortunately, poor sleep can leave you more tired and emotionally vulnerable the next day. Understanding this connection and developing healthier sleep patterns can be an important part of managing PTSD.

Why does PTSD interfere with sleep?

PTSD can keep your body's threat response on high alert (hypervigilance) even when you're physically safe. At bedtime, you may struggle to relax, startle easily at noises, or find that worries and traumatic memories replay in your brain as the distractions of the day disappear.

Nightmares can be another common challenge for people with PTSD. If you repeatedly wake from frightening dreams, it’s not unusual to begin dreading bedtime or delaying it even when your body desperately needs rest. 

Over time, these patterns can develop into a separate sleep problem. The National Center for PTSD reports that insomnia and nightmares are both common with PTSD and that sleep difficulties can persist even when other symptoms improve. 

That’s why a PTSD treatment plan may need to address both the symptoms themselves and the sleep environment that makes rest possible.

Create a sleep environment that feels safe

Good sleep habits can't treat PTSD on their own, but they can make it easier for your body and mind to prepare for rest.

Start by creating a predictable sleep schedule. Stick to the same bedtime and wake-up time every day, even on the days you don’t have to be anywhere. 

A regular routine helps reinforce your body's natural sleep-wake cycle. Before bed, choose calming activities such as reading, listening to quiet music, or practicing mindful breathing. 

Also consider what makes your bedroom feel comfortable and secure. Adjusting the temperature, light, or noise level may help. In fact, anything that makes you feel calmer or more cozy can help — changing your bedroom decor to colors you find soothing, for example.

Try to limit television and smartphone use in bed, since changing light and sound can interfere with restful sleep.

Caffeine can also make it harder to fall asleep, so consider limiting coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other caffeinated products later in the day. 

Don't self-medicate to fall asleep

Alcohol or other substances may initially make you sleepy, but that doesn't mean it improves the quality of your sleep. Up to 60% of people with PTSD struggle with substance misuse, and in some cases, that use may be part of their self-administered coping mechanisms.

Unless prescribed specifically for you, substances can ultimately worsen sleep quality and overall health.

If you're regularly using alcohol or another substance to help yourself sleep, don’t hesitate to discuss it openly during your evaluation with Dr. Kuku. There may be safer and more effective ways to address the underlying problem.

Treat persistent insomnia, not just the bedtime symptoms

Sometimes improving sleep requires more than changing your nighttime routine. That’s why HumuHealth Psychiatry takes a whole-person approach. This involves improving sleep while treating the condition contributing to the problem.

Effective PTSD treatment can include approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT), along with medication when appropriate.

Dr. Kuku develops treatment plans based on each patient's symptoms and needs. Addressing both PTSD and persistent sleep difficulties can help break the cycle of restless nights and difficult days.

If PTSD symptoms or sleep problems are affecting your daily life, book an appointment at HumuHealth Psychiatry in Fairfield or Pleasant Hill, California, to start reclaiming better rest.