When the nervous system remains in a state of readiness for a long time, it may become harder to sleep, focus, relax the body or communicate patiently. Rather than blaming yourself, treat this as information about load and support.
What you may notice
- Difficulty falling asleep or waking during the night
- Thoughts that keep circling
- Tension in the shoulders, jaw or stomach
- Less patience and faster exhaustion
- Difficulty resting even when the situation is safe
A useful place to begin
Remove one non-essential demand, restore regular meals and sleep where possible, add short pauses, limit endless exposure to distressing news and speak with someone you trust.
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