For those of us living with PTSD, sleep is not always rest.
Night can feel like a doorway we’re afraid to walk through.
The body lies still, but the mind travels backward—into memories we didn’t invite and scenes we never consented to revisit. Nightmares aren’t just bad dreams. They are the nervous system replaying danger, trying desperately to keep us alive in a world that no longer exists.
PTSD nightmares are not weakness.
They are survival echoes.
Trauma teaches the brain that the world is unsafe. Even when the danger is over, the alarm system doesn’t always get the message. During sleep—when our defenses are down—the brain attempts to process what it couldn’t at the time. For many, that processing comes in fragments, sensations, or vivid replays.
You are not “stuck.”
Your body is trying to protect you the only way it knows how.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are tools that can soften the nights and help you reclaim some sense of safety.
1. Create a Pre-Sleep Ritual
Consistency signals safety to the nervous system. A warm drink, gentle stretching, dim lights, calming music—simple acts repeated nightly can help your body learn that bedtime does not equal danger.
2. Ground Before Sleep, Not Just After Nightmares
Many people focus on grounding once they wake from a nightmare. Grounding before sleep matters just as much. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear. Remind your body where you are now.
3. Reclaim the Ending
Some survivors find relief by rewriting the nightmare while awake—changing the ending so they escape, fight back, or are rescued. The brain is powerful. It learns from imagination too.
4. Use the Body to Calm the Mind
PTSD lives in the body. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or placing a hand on your chest can help regulate your nervous system when words fail.
5. Reduce Shame Around Needing Support
Nightmares can be isolating. Talk to a therapist, a trusted person, or a support group. You do not have to carry the night alone.
When You Wake Up Shaking
If you wake from a nightmare:
Sit up and plant your feet on the floor Name the date, your age, and where you are Remind yourself: “That was then. This is now.”
You survived the trauma.
You are surviving the memories too.
Healing is not about erasing the past.
It’s about learning how to carry fire without letting it burn you alive.
The crow reminds us we are shaped by shadow and still wise.
The flame reminds us that even in darkness, warmth exists.
If your nights are loud with memory, know this:
You are not broken.
You are not failing.
You are healing in a language your body learned long before words.
And you are not alone.
Crow and Flame 