Safe places are always good to have. Thanks to a tip from a friend, I was able to physically create a safe place. It is in my bedroom closet. It is the same size and shape as my tent. My service dog and I have just enough room. Each wall has material on it of a different kind. It helps me stay grounded when I am struggling. Until a couple of years ago I would sleep there if a nightmare woke me up. I slowly started to feel safe in my bed and bedroom. I think my dog helped with that. Slowly I am starting to branch out into other areas of my house.
In the meantime I am able to get a decent amount of sleep. I still use medication to sleep as well as to stop nightmares (different meds). However, they work without making me feel tired during the day. Until I went on medical leave I was never able to fall asleep until 2 a.m. Sleeping only a few hours each night did nothing for my sleep schedule or to keep my anxiety at bay. The meds helped me turn my sleep schedule around. For a while I needed naps, but I am happy that I don't need them much anymore. Now, when I feel good and calm, I can even sleep without my meds. Exercising or moving around during the day also definitely help.
