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6 Ways That Lack of Sleep Causes Us to Ruminate on Past Trauma
A tired brain keeps revisiting what hurt you — even after you’ve “processed” it
You may ask, “Why am I still thinking about this?” Sleep loss can make the brain more alert to threats, less able to regulate emotions, and less able to redirect attention when overwhelmed. For people with traumatic pasts, difficult memories can create an exhausting loop between insomnia, nightmares, and rumination.
Rumination is not the same as healthy reflection. Reflection asks, “What happened, what do I need, and what can I do next?” Rumination repeats questions such as, “Why did this happen to me?” or “What should I have done differently?” Rumination keeps us stuck in the past; reflection asks us to move forward.
Here are six ways insufficient or disrupted sleep can make that rumination loop more vicious.
1. Lack of sleep turns up the brain’s threat alarm
The amygdala helps the brain notice emotionally important information, especially possible danger. A trauma memory feels more immediate than it would after restorative sleep. An argument may trigger a much bigger emotional response than the situation calls for. The tired brain may treat a trigger as proof that danger is now present — rather than as a trigger connected…
