Insomnia is a big and complex problem, and many people accept their inability to get enough solid sleep or waking up in the middle of the night or early morning with ruminating worries as a fact of life and minimize the consequences. The Sleep Foundation reports that ⅔ of the population in the U.S. has or had insomnia at some point in their lives, and 70% of those with insomnia are women. A 2019 study reported that insomnia in older adults can lead to multiple instances of physical and mental disorders. In short, while we don’t need a study to tell us how important sleep is to our well being, it reminds us that if we have insomnia, it’s worth solving. Health experts recommend a full night’s rest of at least 7 hours of quality sleep as a benchmark.
In this video, Clare will explore how trauma can be contributing to insomnia. Quite often insomnia that has no medical cause can be attributed to a time in our childhood when we were overwhelmed. When we can’t go back to sleep, it’s likely because a part of ourselves is telling our body it’s not safe to relax. We may be completely unaware that a part of us feels unsafe and is actually in fight or flight mode pumping adrenaline into our system. Using parts work, you’ll be able to talk to your body to identify the underlying trauma so that you can feel safe and relaxed and bring your nervous system into regulation and calm.