Flashbacks from my past have impacted my sleeping patterns. What can I do to help myself ?

I personally help myself by keeping a sleep diary by my bedside. I write my dreams down of inhale nightmares or flash backs. If I can't sleep, o drink water and meditate to self reflect and relax

Stress from a traumatic event can often lead to a variety of sleep problems. When the body is overstimulated, the brain is flooded with neurochemicals that keep us awake, such as epinephrine and adrenaline, making it difficult to wind down at the end of the day. The neurochemicals remain present in the brain and can interrupt your normal sleep cycle. The result can be insomnia, bad dreams, and daytime fatigue caused by sleep disturbance. There are a number of recommendations for dealing with insomnia, bad dreams, and daytime fatigue. Sleep experts recommend trying to reduce feelings of stress, especially before bedtime. Don’t watch the news right before going to bed. Avoid coffee in the afternoon and evening. Take a warm bath or soak in a hot tub before bedtime. If sleep problems persist, see your doctor, who can prescribe medications that will help you sleep but won’t make you groggy in the morning.

Do something you really like doing and plan it out for the next day to come early in the morning. Andd drink coffee(:

A good idea is to write everything down before you go to bed. This helps to get all your feelings or flashbacks from the past off your mind and therefore let it rest for sleep. Another idea is to listening to relaxing music, there are specific tracks on youtube or on the calm app. Lavender oil also helps relax the body and mind. I suggest trying a few drops of lavender in a warm bath, write everything down on some paper, listen to some calming music. You could also try imagining you are sinking into your bed or floating on top, this helps calm the body and mind. Hope this helps!

Try making your self occupied ,doing the things you love ,listening to calming music or your choice,watch a funny T.V show etc before you sleep. Free yourself from stress.

I think maybe confronting your past and accepting that those things did happen and seek therapeutic support would most likely be the best idea. I know it's hard, and thinking of your past really isn't fun, but being willing to go through it during the day is a good idea:)

There's some grounding techniques you can do when it comes to flashbacks. You can blast music really loudly, gripped on cold ice, bite into a lemon, sniff something strong like peppermint, and look around your whole surrounding taking it all in.

Read boring stuff till you dose off. Meditate or do yoga. Basically exhaust yourself till you, feel compelled to dose off. Perhaps write about it if that helps?