Panic attacks at night after waking

[Mcminn1]

I'm getting this every night at the moment. I woke up at 3am this morning I thought I was having a heart attack. My hear started racing and I had a bad panic attack. I've been panicky ever since. I got to sleep again only to wakes up a hour later with the same :(. Dus anyone have any advice on this?

[Bramwell]

All I can say is I've had bouts of exactly the same. I particularly hate the nodding off and jerking awake again. I've had that a lot over the years.

They do go away in the end so hang in there.

[Survivorthriver]

I've experienced this too, the waking up about the same time in the wee hours of the morning with this panicky heart racing feeling. Not sure if these things actually helped but I did try the following things:

-prayed, so if you pray do this

-changed my eating habits, I feel that sometimes depending on what our body is going thru, there could be certain foods we eat that causes some of these experiences to occur

-thought about if there was anything in particular that was bothering me and tried to eliminate that or minimize it from my life

-I tried to use methods like, not concern myself with things that have occurred in my past or with things that I believe might occur in my future, and focus on what's occuring at that very moment. I would say to myself... ok I'm lying in the bed, nothing is happening other than I'm having these weird panicky feelings, I'm ok and it will pass very shortly. I tried not to fight that scary panicky feeling.

-Once I was diagnosed with Lupus and began taking my meds hydroxychloriquin, I haven't noticed those experiences in the middle of the night unless there is a major stressful situation occuring in my life. The meds may be helping to balance my body's chemistry.

Hope some of this helps; I know it's not uncomfortable when you are going thru it - hang in there and keep getting to the root of the problem. As you know your body better than any doctor. Get to the bottom of what's happening with you.

[Mcminn1]

I gave in called an ambulance the surge of butterflies again and again I've just got back from a and e now still feel really bad :(. Just said to me it's nothing medical

[Mcminn1]

Dussnt help me very much and I'm really scared of taking diesipam 2mg

[Queeniescakes]

2mg of diazepam is very small. I occasionally take 5mg before bed if I'm already feeling anxious. It stops me waking up with exactly the same thing you did.

[gracesgrandma]

Hi Mcminn1 Unfortunately this is a big issue when you have panic/anxiety. I call them the night time demons. I think you will find that this is most people with pa worst time. I think when this happens to me that it is sleep apnoea and your bodies natural reaction is to wake you up and because you do it with a sharp in take of breath this jump starts the panic. In a strange way this reassures me (obviously I can't make a big issue of the sleep apnoea or I would have another issue to make me worry). I know it is easier said than done but always keep in the back of your mind that 1) it will not kill you 2) it will pass. Good Luck :o)

[Cforte in reply to gracesgrandma]

Not to scare you and make you panic more, especially since I have both anxiety and sleep apnea too, but you have to get your sleep apnea fixed. It wears your body down over time and because you are not getting the full rest and the oxygen to your brain at night, it causes you to be more susceptible to serious medical issues. I hope this links work so you can learn more. It is from the Mayo Clinic, not Wikipedia, btw: mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...