Panic Attacks In my Sleep

[yellowbee4]

I've been waking up every single morning terrified, without fail, at either 3am or 4am. I don't have nightmares and I live in a quiet area. I thought maybe my change of diet is affecting me or maybe too much caffeine.

Then I found out I'm actually having panic attacks in my sleep. Causes are stress from personal life and I don't know how to ask the people around me for help cause they're gonna think I'm stressed out about them.

I can't take melatonin cause it affects birth control, I've tried aromatherapy with lavender oil and MONQ pens, I watch ASMR and keep the fan on but no matter what setting, if I'm with my Boyfriend, If I was tired all day, or what I eat. I can't stop waking up with panic attacks.

any old wives tales to help?

[AndrewT]

Dear yellowbee4,

Excuse me being 'Personal' but... are you, like me, rather 'Overweight'? If so it could be Sleep Apnea, this is were you actually stop Breathing- whilst you are sleeping. The Body can 'Suddenly' realise it needs AIR.... you Panic, in hailing as you do so. You wake up Breathless and 'Panicked', with no immediately discernable cause. Does this 'Ring Any Bells yellowbee?

Is so there are a number of Treatments- one, that I Don't use, involves a Machine that 'Forces' air- under pressure- into your Mouth & Nose. There are 'Other' methods, usually involving 'Clips' for you nose/ 'Things' in your mouth.

If you are NOT 'normally' an Anxious Person then this, could well be, the Problem. (If you ARE a bit Nervous, then this could make it worse.)

If you are at 'Tad' Tubby, as I said like me, you might do better- before you try Machines/ Clips/ and so on- just Changing the 'way' you sleep. Sounds Silly but an Old Friend, who started off as a 'girlfriend' (we were both young), found great Relief by simply Laying On Her Back, to sleep.

Why not, at least, give it a 'go'?

AndrewT

[yellowbee4 in reply to AndrewT]

My dad had/has that and I considered that, but I'm not showing any of those symptoms plus I'm consider healthy for my weight/height balance. I did used to have panic attacks often but they faded away slowly, and I do have anxiety daily, so I'm almost +positive its panic attacks with how I wake up terrified with heart racing.

but thank you very much with your concern and asking.

[BluePeppermint]

To expand on what AndrewT said, if it is even possible you may have sleep apnea, please have a sleep study done ASAP. My ex-husband had sleep apnea that went untreated and ended up causing him congestive heart failure. Before his diagnosis, he was informed he had two heart attacks, one of which should have killed him. Not trying to scare you, but I had no idea sleep apnea could cause those kinds of health issues, so I try to inform people.

If indeed it is panic attacks while sleeping, I have been drinking chamomile tea with honey or Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea before going to sleep. Both help so very much. My niece also gave me some stuff she uses, Hyland's Calms Forte Sleep Aid, which does not contain Melatonin, and that seems to help as well. I have never heard of Melatonin affecting birth control. If you can confirm that with a doctor, I have a Melatonin called 3:00 a.m. Melatonin made for waking in the middle of the night that seems to work pretty good (very small dosage of Melatonin, combined with something else that escapes me at the moment).

I know how much lack of sleep make all my issues worse, so I hope you are able to get some good sleep soon.

[yellowbee4 in reply to BluePeppermint]

thank you, I'll try that

[shoppingblue]

I do feel for you it must be hard I wake every morning with fear and dread rush through my body and I panic its horrible

[AllTimeLow]

I get these feelings of intense, overwhelming fear every day.

[Broken1971]

I get this too but always with nightmares and sometimes sleep paralysis