PTSD and Trauma recovery

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

I never get to sleep before 4:30am. I get up around 12:30pm every day. Even if I get up way earlier, I am still wide awake all night. I force myself to go to bed by 4:00am, but if I didn't, I could be awake a lot longer. If I take my night time meds a lot earlier than 3 or 3:30am, I still am just as wide awake. My nighttime meds include 400mg of Trazodone, which is supposed to help me sleep.

On the bright side, I get a full 8 hours of sleep everyday. I suspect that my brain is wired to be up all night because the original traumatic event that started all this (fire broke out in my apartment and destroyed it) happened at 2am. Now my brain is on high alert all night. I don't know how to change that.

That totally makes sense, your body is likely on high alert all night t keep you safe. At least right now you get to sleep long enough to get 8 hours. Sleep is so important in the healing process.

LS makes some great suggestions! Lavendar does help, and it's not too girly and chamomile calm the stomach and the mind. Sometimes I ice down a pitcher and drink it as iced tea.

I hope as time passes maybe you can get to sleep a little earlier each night, but don't push yourself, it really has not been that long since the fire.

So sorry you are experiencing this!