January 2009
Post-Dramatic Stress? A Hidden Cause of Sleeplessness
Most of us are keenly aware of the notion of PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. A key symptom of PTSD, of course, is sleeplessness. I believe there is a subtler condition that negatively impacts the sleep of millions more — what I call post-dramatic stress disorder.
We live in an age where drama is so ubiquitous, we are often unaware of its pernicious impact on our well-being. Whether in the guise of news, entertainment or reading material, drama abounds. I think that most of us are less traumatized, but more dramatized.
Radio, television and newspapers routinely feed us drama-spiked renditions of reality. What we call the news is typically a biased presentation of destruction, devastation and death. Still, 75% of Americans partake of the news in one form or another in the hour before bed, and too frequently from bed.
Millions more consume dramatic material from books or TV programs. Nine of the current ten most popular TV shows are dramas. We can easily witness more murders, rapes, assaults and betrayals in an evening of “must-see TV” than we would ever personally experience in a lifetime.
One could argue that news and other portrayals of life’s dramas are simply a part of reality that we should not deny. But are they really? Some years ago the chief of homicide in San Diego was a guest speaker in a psychology course I was teaching. At the time, the police TV drama Hill Street Blues was the rage. A student asked if that show accurately depicted life in the precinct. “No,” replied the chief, “Its much more like Barney Miller.”
Excessive exposure to drama can result in symptoms of post-dramatic stress: feelings of helplessness, anxiety, depression and, of course, sleeplessness. There is a vicious cycle at play here. We are unconsciously attracted to drama largely because it provides us with a jolt of adrenaline that can temporarily counter our chronic weariness. At the same time, being dramatized inevitably compromises the quality of our sleep, thereby increasing our weariness.
Drama is a part of life. But so is grace, serenity and lightheartedness. Consider experimenting with drama free evenings. Relaxing rituals including yoga, breathing exercises and meditation are good alternatives. Enjoy the company of loved ones, a soak in a warm tub, or one of my personal favorites — a dose of Seinfeld. I believe that laughter is an essential antidote to post-dramatic stress and one of the most effective yet overlooked sleep elixirs.