#133 Why Trauma Can Ruin Your Sleep | When Your Body Won’t Let You Rest

#133 Why Trauma Can Ruin Your Sleep | When Your Body Won’t Let You Rest

In this eye-opening episode, you'll learn about why sleep can feel impossible when trauma is sitting just under the surface. The Trauma Recovery School zooms in on that frustrating experience of being utterly exhausted, yet wired and tense the moment your head hits the pillow. Host and trauma recovery therapist Bonita Ackerman du Preez breaks down what she calls a huge reframe: "What you've been calling a sleep problem is not a sleep problem.

It is a safety problem." Instead of blaming late-night screens or coffee, she explains how a nervous system shaped by past danger may simply not feel safe enough to switch off. You'll hear a clear, down-to-earth explanation of how the autonomic nervous system is meant to shift from sympathetic activation into parasympathetic dominance – the classic "rest and digest" state – and why that shift can feel like a threat to someone whose body once learned that sleep equals danger.

Bonita describes how the body can try to sleep and stay on guard at the same time, and why "the alert will always win" when safety feels uncertain. Rather than presenting this as a character flaw, she repeatedly stresses that "this is your nervous system doing exactly what it was trained to do". There’s a strong focus on compassion, normalising night-time anxiety, 3 a.m. jolts of panic, and even avoiding bedtime altogether.

Bonita also hints at her Trauma Recovery Method, particularly the "release" phase, where the focus is less on forcing sleep and more on helping the nervous system feel safe enough to let go. It’s a validating listen for anyone who’s tired of being told to just relax. If you’ve ever wondered why your body stays on high alert when all you want is rest, this one might help you see your “sleep problem” in a completely new light.