Getting over the pain of your tragedy, trials or tribulations often requires healing deep within your mind. Amazingly, trauma recovery can actually occur when you are fast asleep.Research conducted in recent decades indicates that our dreams are key. In general, they are a source of mental and emotional processing and resolution. Meaning, even when you're hurt deeply, your dreams can be sweeter and your sleep more soothing than you ever realized.
Nighttime Therapy: REM Sleep is Linked to
Trauma Recovery
Recent findings reveal that we need time to shut down and process emotional and distress experience. Thus, the REM or dream phase of sleep provides that mental space for such recovery. The current research points to this key healing process in the brain: sleep reduces activity in your amygdala (your brain's emotional processor). Then, your brain's prefrontal cortex (the rational processor) integrates emotion with previously-stored short and long-term knowledge. Therefore, coordination lessen the impact of disturbing memories linked to trauma.
In essence, REM sleep can soften the sting of trauma as it supports a unique neurochemical brain environment. This allows you to reprocess your emotional upset in a safe brain space. A space that is refreshing and makes coping feel more manageable.
To say the least, the neuroscience leaves little doubt: sleep is vital to learning, memory and mood regulation. Els van der Helm, lead author of the pioneering UC Berkeley study on REM noted: “During REM sleep, memories are being reactivated, put in perspective and connected and integrated, but in a state where stress neurochemicals are beneficially suppressed. "This explains why people with mood disorders and PTSD sufferers struggle.
Above all, people with anxiety and mood disorders find that sleep is not restorative. Instead, flashbacks and nightmares and disruptive. The nighttime therapy that aids recovery of other people does not work well for them. In contrast, REM sleep does not efficiently clear out emotion or usher in rational perception overnight. Getting into deep sleep and dreaming supports a healthier consolidation of memories. A sense of calm and control result.
Sleep Well: Take Steps Toward Trauma Recovery
With the Berkley study in mind, don't underestimate the value of exploring sleep and dreams. Especially given the fact that key symptoms of PTSD are sleep disruption and nightmares. Are you suffering a persistent cycle of sleeplessness? If so, acknowledging the importance of REM sleep for yourself is consistent with neuroscience and healthy living.
In reality, dreams reveal the experience of your mind and body, especially dissociated, traumatic experiences. An intuitive body-sensitive therapy plan lead by an experienced somatic therapist can help in trauma recovery. For the most part, they can work with you on a therapeutic routine that supports restorative dreaming. When your body and mind become more adept at resting, feeling activated by your traumatic memories will diminish. Furthermore, the value of therapy like EMDR, which taps into rapid-eye-movement, much like that of REM sleep, may be worth exploring as well.
Even better, your integrated memories created by your dream state are used in abstract, novel, and creative ways. In addition, your ability to uncover solutions that might not occur to you when you are awake can come to you in dreams.
Finally, we can help you recover from trauma well. Let us support you in healing your body and mind for optimal growth and fulfillment. For a free consultation to find out how we can help, please get in touch with us.
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