Navigate CPTSD: Sleep: Hypervigilance Night Protocol

In this episode, we explore a practical nighttime protocol designed for people living with CPTSD who struggle with hypervigilance that blocks rest. Gregory shares the personal story behind developing a short repeatable sequence that combines a room check, timed breathing, and a boundary statement. The steps help the nervous system receive clear signals that the day is done. Listeners will hear why standard sleep hygiene often falls short when trauma wiring keeps the body on alert. The protocol stays brief and consistent so it can become automatic even on difficult nights. Research from trauma studies supports using body-focused cues to lower alertness before bed. By the end of the episode you will have the full ordered steps ready to try.

What You'll Learn:
• Reduce time needed to fall asleep using body signals
• Lower nighttime hypervigilance with a repeatable sequence
• Feel safer in bed through consistent nervous system cues
• Interrupt racing thoughts with timed breathing steps
• Build automatic rest habits that fit under ten minutes

Key Insights
• Hypervigilance treats rest as risk due to old wiring
• Short body actions interrupt cortisol and adrenaline loops
• The bed itself can become a trigger without new signals
• Eighty percent of complex trauma survivors face insomnia
• Grounding practices shorten sleep onset even after years

Recommended Resources:
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
• Journal of Traumatic Stress 2018 study on trauma and sleep
• National Center for PTSD grounding exercises page
• National Center for PTSD sleep and trauma fact sheets

Coming Up Next
Tune in next time to discover how to handle emotional flashbacks that arrive during daylight hours with the same body-first approach that protects your nights.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com.
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