Sleepwalking Confessions…When Your Dreams Have You on the Move
- Jennifer Tollefsrud
- Jun 18
- 4 min read
🧟♀️ Midnight Zombie Shuffle: Could Your Sleepwalking Be the Ghost of Trauma Past?
You wake up with your shoes on the wrong feet, the fridge door wide open, griping three slices of cheese in one hand and a loaf of bread like you were about to grill a toasted cheese sandwich.
And the weird part... You have no idea how any of that happened.
Before you write it off as just being “quirky” or blame the melatonin gummies again, let’s talk about the very real, very creepy connection between #trauma and #sleepwalking, aka when your body decides to go full “Walking Dead” while your brain checks out.
🧠 “Why Am I Like This?” … A Crash Course in Trauma Brain
When you’ve had trauma (especially the “spicy” kind, abuse, parent abuse, neglect, war, car crashes, emotional carnage from your middle school years, etc.), your brain learns to never fully relax. It thinks #sleeping is a bad idea. You know, in case the saber-toothed tiger of your past returns with a vengeance.
This turns your nervous system into a paranoid little gremlin:
You’re asleep, but your brain is like, “Stay frosty! Anything could happen...”
This half-baked shutdown can lead to “#parasomnias”, a fancy word for weird sleep behaviors like #sleepwalking, #sleeptalking, #sleeptexting your ex, and more.
🚪But Why Sleepwalking?
Because your trauma-trained brain is constantly scanning for threats, even during the deep stages of sleep. Unfortunately, that stage (slow-wave, non-REM sleep) is also prime time for sleepwalking.
Here’s what happens:
Your limbic system (emotional drama queen) is still active.
Your prefrontal cortex (voice of reason) has exited the building.
Your legs decide it’s time to do laps around the coffee table.
Voilà! You become a confused, unconscious house gremlin.
🧒 Childhood Trauma? Jackpot.
Studies show that people with childhood trauma are extra-likely to win the #parasomnia prize wheel:
Sleepwalking
Night terrors
Sleep screaming (yes, that’s a thing)
Waking up with all the couch cushions in the bathtub…
Why? Because early trauma can hardwire your sleep architecture like a haunted house built on a sinkhole. It’s unstable before you even throw in adult stress, kids, bills, or your ex’s passive-aggressive texts.
😱 Signs Your Sleepwalking Might Be Trauma-Related:
Your sleep is absolute garbage, restless, light, full of nightmares...
You have no memory of your nighttime adventures
Stress makes it worse (yay!)😑
You’ve ever muttered something like “Why did I wake up in the pantry again?”
🛠️ Now What? (Besides Installing a Motion Sensor in Your Hallway)
Step 1: Rule Out the Basics
Get a sleep study (a #polysomnogram). This helps rule out #seizures, REM sleep behavior disorder, and #narcolepsy.
See a trauma-informed therapist…bonus points for someone who understands sleep.
***It’s totally okay to interview therapists to make sure they are a good fit for your needs.***
Ask your doctor about #medications or #supplements that might be making it worse. (Some SSRIs and sleep aids turn people into unconscious night hikers.)
🚨Never start a new supplement without talking to your doctor first.
Step 2: Actually Treat the Trauma
Because surprise! You can’t out-sleepwalk your way past a nervous system stuck in “fight, flight, or freezer aisle at 3 AM.” If you could, you probably wouldn't be reading this...
Effective options:
🧠 #EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Great for processing trauma stuck in your nervous system.
🧘♀️ #Somatic Experiencing: Or Somatic Exercises/Yoga. For when talking it out makes you feel worse.
🛋️ Trauma-informed #CBT: Less spiritual, more “let’s reframe your existential doom.”
Step 3: Secure the Premises
Lock doors and windows (seriously)
Baby gates, door alarms, motion-activated lights
Hide sharp objects and your credit card
Tell your partner or roommate not to follow you around with a camera... unless you’re monetizing it on TikTok
🧩 Resources for the Sleep-Deprived and Slightly Unhinged
The Sleep Foundation: Parasomnias – Straightforward info for when you’re done laughing.
National Center for PTSD – If you suspect trauma’s in the mix, start here.
Trauma Research Foundation – Education, therapists, and solid science.
Books to crawl into when you're not sleepwalking:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky (unless they’ve been to therapy, they don’t sleepwalk either)
🧼 Final Thought: You’re Not Broken
You’re not possessed. You’re not dramatic. You’re not “just weird.” Your nervous system is doing what it thinks it needs to do to protect you. Even if that means sleep-marching to the kitchen for a cheese sandwich at 2 AM.
The good news? With some support, a bit of science, and probably less coffee after 3 PM, you can retrain your brain to feel safe enough to stay put while you sleep.
Unless, of course, you like living with the mystery of how your socks got in the freezer.
That’s cool too…🧊
Disclaimer: This post is not medical advice. If you want medical advice, ask your doctor, not your cousin’s Instagram.
*If you would like more information on nutrition and lifestyle changes or have questions, feel free to message me, or you can book a free Discovery call to see if I can help you.
Book at redtreelifeandwellnesscoaching.com or call/text 919-246-9905
or use this link to book directly on my calendar⬇️
https://www.redtreelifeandwellnesscoaching.com/ #SleepwalkingSaga #TraumaHumor #MidnightAdventures #SleepwalkingStories #LaughThroughTrauma #NoRestForTheWicked #DreamsGoneWild #SleepwalkerLife #TraumaLaughs #NighttimeNonsense #SleepwalkingChronicles #ComedyInCrisis #TherapyNeeded #SleepStruggles #AnxietyAdventures #MidnightMishaps #DreamlandDisasters #RestlessNights #UnintentionalCardio #WokeUpLikeThis
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