Rest can feel like something that should come naturally. We might think that if we’re tired enough, we’ll slow down, take a break, and feel restored. But rest doesn’t always come easily after trauma.
Survivors may notice that when they have time to relax, their bodies still feel tense. Their thoughts might race, feel guilty for taking breaks, or don’t feel fully rested after sleeping. Many trauma survivors experience exhaustion not because they aren’t resting enough, but because their bodies have been carrying so much for so long.
When your nervous system has been in survival mode, slowing down can feel strange or even unsafe. It can even lead to discomfort, anxiety, or feeling like you should be doing something more productive.
If you have felt this way when trying to rest deeply, this doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Your body may have learned that staying busy, productive, or alert is safer.
In this guide, we’ll explore why trauma can lead to exhaustion, why rest can feel difficult or sometimes impossible, and how trauma-informed practices can support deeper rest, relaxation, and restored energy.
This post is part of my Trauma-Informed Yoga Practices Guide, where you can explore different types of yoga practices that support healing including nervous system regulation, somatic yoga, tension release, emotional support, and more.
Why You Feel So Tired After Trauma
I welcome you to send yourself grace and acknowledge that while your symptoms may frustrate you, they’re your body’s way of protecting you. Trauma might make you remain in a state of survival, and while your body simply wants to protect you, there are long-term effects.
If you remain in a state of hyperarousal, you’ll constantly feel alert, easily startled, and experience anxiety. You can only remain in this state for so long before your body needs a break – making you feel tired and unrested.
Many people after trauma develop PTSD, also known as post traumatic stress disorder. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, sleeping issues and nightmares are two symptoms survivors might experience. This can also contribute to why they may also have trouble sleeping or not sleep deeply.
You may also notice:
- Feeling constantly alert or on edge
- Difficulty relaxing
- Body tension and fatigue
- Feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks
- Feeling like you need to keep going even when your body is asking for a break
Why Rest Can Feel Unsafe After Trauma
Trauma can make rest feel unsafe since it’s unfamiliar to our nervous systems
When we’ve been in a constant state of production and productivity, it can feel activating when we rest, and we might even experience anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or waiting for something to happen.
This unfamiliarity leads us to feel that it’s safer to be busy, to not stop, because once we do, we could be flooded with memories, feelings, or thoughts. We also may feel that being busy keeps us out of our bodies. After trauma, some may try to avoid feeling too deeply within themselves, as this can also be activating.
One way to support gently allowing more rest is to think in terms of small, tiny steps. We don’t need to do hour-long meditations or take weeks off from life to do this. Even a few moments, here and there, as much as five minutes, is a supportive start. You can also explore practices that don’t focus on your internal sensations if you’re not comfortable. You might notice the energy around you, how the air feels, or focus on an object instead.
Different Types of Rest to Explore After Trauma
When we think about rest, we might imagine lying down, doing nothing, or taking time away from life or responsibilities. While those forms of rest can absolutely be supportive, rest can look different depending on what your body and mind would prefer in the moment
Sometimes you might crave stillness, other times you might want gentle movement or grounding. Whatever allows you to feel the most supported is the best place to start.
These forms of rest are a good starting point and will allow you to see which version would feel best for you.
Passive Rest
Passive rest is when you’re physically resting, but your mind is preoccupied or bust with something else.
Examples include:
- Watching your favorite show
- Scrolling on your phone
- Listening to music
- Reading a book
Passive rest isn’t wrong or bad for us. Sometimes it’s nice to watch a comforting show or take a mental break from life.
If you’re looking for deeper, more restorative versions of rest, this one may not be the most supportive. We can still become distracted or stressed while watching shows or feel like our minds can’t fully settle. You may have felt this if you felt like you lounged around all day, but still feel stressed.
If you’re looking for more stress relief and rest that leaves you feeling fully restored, you might explore active rest.
Active Rest
Active rest is when you intentionally focus on relaxation without outside distractions. This doesn’t mean you need to be productive during rest, but it welcomes you to create an immersive, fully present practice.
A few examples of active rest are:
- Gentle yoga practices
- Somatic movement
- Journaling
- Meditation or mindfulness practices
- Spending time in nature
- Grounding exercises
- Restful self-care routines
You may have noticed a difference in your own body when you relax on the couch with a show compared to when you explore a more restful yoga class or take a warm bath.
I also welcome you to explore the forms of rest that feel best for you. What’s calming for one person may not be for another, so learning your own preferences is how you can find the deepest rest.
Trauma-Informed Practices for Deeper Rest
Rest after trauma doesn’t have to only mean taking more breaks. For many survivors, deeper rest comes from feeling supported, respected, and cared for.
Trauma-informed practices allow you to explore rest without forcing yourself into stillness, pushing through discomfort, or expecting yourself to feel a certain way.
Trauma-informed practices can include:
Gentle Yoga
Yoga can be a supportive practice for reconnecting with your body, releasing tension, and creating moments of rest.
Trauma-informed yoga is different from traditional yoga because it focuses on creating more comfort, choice, and trust within each practice.
Trauma-informed practices yoga include:
- Having multiple options to choose from
- Adjusting poses based on your comfort
- Taking breaks whenever you need
- Choosing to have your eyes open or closed at any time
- Exploring what feels supportive in each moment
If you like, you can learn more about the 6 Pillars of Trauma-Informed Yoga and how this practice supports trauma survivors.
Somatic Practices
Trauma-informed somatic practices focus on deepening your relationship with your body and what it’s asking of you. These practices don’t ask you to retell your trauma or revisit difficult memories.
Instead, they invite you to explore:
- Any sensations you notice
- What feels comfortable
- How your body communicates with you
Somatic practices can be as simple as noticing your feet touching the floor, feeling the warmth of a blanket, or looking at your surrounding space.
I welcome you to learn more about Somatic Yoga for Beginners and how this practice allows you to connect your sensations, feelings, and thoughts.
Grounding Practices
If you ever feel yourself overwhelmed in a yoga or somatic practice, grounding is how you can come back to the present moment.
A simple grounding exercise is noticing your five senses:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
You are always welcome to adjust this practice in any way that feels supportive. Some survivors also may find focusing on their surroundings is more supportive than focusing inward, and that’s okay.
Journaling
Journaling can be a supportive way to slow down, reflect, and create space for your thoughts and emotions.
You might explore questions like:
- What is my body asking of me today?
- What would feel supportive right now?
- Are there any emotions present?
There are no right or wrong answers when journaling, and it’s normal to have your thoughts drift from the original prompt. It’s all about creating space for reflection and learning more about yourself.
Creating a Trauma-Informed Evening Routine for Deeper Sleep
Survivors may find it difficult to fall asleep or sleep deeply after trauma. For some, they may feel exhausted but can’t settle, have racing thoughts, tension, or can’t seem to feel relaxed.
A mindful evening routine is one way to send gentle signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for rest.
This can be simple, and there are few ways you can prepare for restful sleep.
Prepare Your Space
Our environment has an impact on how restful our sleep can be.
This could look like:
- Getting the next day prepped (clothes set out, kitchen cleaned)
- Creating a cozy sleep environment
- Dimming lights
- Making your space feel comforting
Creating Time for Self-Care
Self-care is how we take care of ourselves. It’s how we fill our own cup and release stress, which allows us to be more present for others.
Examples of nighttime self-care:
- Skincare
- A warm shower
- Brushing your teeth mindfully
- Drinking tea
- Reading
- Gentle yoga or stretching
I welcome you to explore these 8 Areas of Self-Care for more ideas and other areas of your life you might wish to tend to.
Limit Screentime
I understand how relaxing it can be to scroll on your phone or watch a show right before bed. Sometimes, we might use desktops or laptops right before bed if we’re in school or do remote work.
The National Library of Medicine discovered that using your phone, tablet, or other electronic devices before bed made it harder for participants to fall asleep, had poorer quality of sleep, and felt more tired the next day.
If you notice you’re getting a full night’s rest, but still wake up feeling like you slept half the time you did, it might be supportive to replace technology use with something less stimulating like reading, resting with tea, or another quiet hobby like knitting or coloring.
You might also choose to explore my 8 Minute Relaxing Bedtime Yoga Routine for releasing stress and preparing for deep sleep.
This guide to Yoga for Insomnia After Trauma is supportive of restful sleep and you’ll explore nine gentle yoga poses, tips for creating a calming bedtime practice, and trauma-informed guidance to find your version of deep rest.
Additional Practices to Support Rest After Trauma
Rest is deeply personal, and the way you choose to rest may be different each day. Sometimes you might crave tension release, and others you might crave more restful classes when you have full permission to simply allow the support of your mat to hold you.
If you’d like to continue exploring gentle ways to support rest, I welcome you to explore these free practices:
- 10 Min Somatic Yoga for Burnout, Overwhelm, and Stress
- 10 Min In-Bed Yoga for Burnout and Fatigue
- 15 Min Calming Yoga for Exhaustion After Trauma
Explore Free Rest and Burnout Yoga Practices
If you’d like to explore more gentle practices for rest, relaxation, and burnout recovery, I welcome you to explore my Yoga for Deep Rest, Burnout & Sleep Playlist. These trauma-informed practices focus on slowing down, supporting your nervous system, releasing tension, and creating space for deep rest in a way that feels best for you.
Explore my Yoga for Deep Rest, Burnout & Sleep Playlist (YouTube)
Deepen Your Practice
If you’d like to begin a trauma-informed yoga practice to welcome deeper rest, support your nervous system, and release tension and stress all in a private space, I invite you to explore my trauma-informed library, The Cozy Corner.
These free classes cater to sexual trauma survivors and give you the time and space to rest on your terms and at your pace. I welcome you to get started and learn more below.
