Can anyone help?

[Jessy123]

Does anyone else get a feeling that they stop breathing when falling asleep? That you gasp for air? It happened to me today

[Christina10778]

oh my goodness! Yes! It has happened to me numerous times. When I try falling asleep and sometimes just during the day out of nowhere.

Some anxiety sufferers tend to hold their breath without realizing it...that happens to me. But, I also have had moments where I swear I'm not holding my breath, but, it feels like I stop breathing for a few seconds. It's scary as hell, but, I know that more then a few of us tend to deal with various breathing issues...it's part of anxiety.

[Kimbosuki5]

Yes I thought it was just me!!! It happens to me all the time!! It's so scary!

[alicemoon]

It's the scariest thing in the world. I argued about this with a therapist who insisted it's all in autonomic nervous system and not possible, but I know without a doubt I had to will myself to breathe or I would suffocate and it was excruciatingly hard. It has happened several times through the years; more info is coming out about it now, finally. I think many factors can be at the root, meds or med combos you might not even think of being one.

I am a lifetime insomniac and have had sleep issues since I was a child--that's got to have some kind of stress related effect, and effect my hormone balance. This issue is so profound because sleep is essential to health and sanity. It should be one place of peace and relief!! Hopefully this was just an isolated incident for you, but you are not alone. Some people think it's imagined, I'm sure I experienced sleep paralysis.

We also secrete a hormone during a certain stage of REM sleep that partially paralyzes the muscles (I believe the theory is so that we don't act out dreams out). That could be all out of whack in my case. I hope I haven't scared you--it hasn't happened in awhile thank God. But for awhile I wanted to sleep with toothpicks in my eyes so I wouldn't fall asleep for fear I'd stop breathing!! There's also the biggie: sleep apnea which you can be tested and treated effectively for. If it happens again maybe you can do a sleep study. Good luck and good night 🌟 xx

[stressed-eric]

I went to the docs about this a while back and like most things with anxiety it passed.

It's when you are anxious you fall asleep and your body kicks you out of sleep just at the moment of sleep. You feel like you stopped breathing but you didn't , I used to wake up breathing like u had just run round the block.

I was given propranolol which eventually helped. But don't get it any more. For now , all the best. Oh and I'm also off the propranolol.

[annonymousme]

Whatever is causing it your body is dealing with it so don't stress about it.

Make an appointment with your doctor and tell yourself that you will deal with this when you see your doctor.

Your doctor will know when you describe your symptoms whether this is something that you need help with or whether it is something that will pass with relaxation exercises

Hope that helps

[JackMcG]

This is such a horrible but sadly common feature of anxiety.

Do you suffer from sleep apnoea? I'm sure you probably don't, I only mention it because if your air way is becoming blocked by the mechanisms of apnoea then you must see a doctor as it can be serious.

It does sound like anxiety. Anxiety is such a complex and tortuous condition. It seems to attack those things most likely to cause us distress, such as breathing; and it attacks us when we are sleeping. As humans we have to breathe and we have to sleep. Anxiety really is like a monster, it attacks our most essential functions and attacks us when we are most vulnerable, such as when we are sleeping or falling asleep. Of course this causes us to be more anxious which only feeds the anxiety monster and makes it stronger.

What you have described is potentially a serious matter. Whether it is caused by sleep apnoea or anxiety, I think it warrants a visit to a doctor. As soon as the doctor has ruled out sleep apnoea, she/he can look at other causes such as anxiety.

A good GP will be able to reassure you, prescribe for you if necessary and referr you to the right kind of therapist if she/he feels it would help you.

Try not to feed the anxiety monster with more fear and anxiety. I know that's a lot easier to write than to do.

Anxiety itself won't hurt you, it will torment you but it can't hurt you. We can only be hurt by anxiety by how we choose to react to it.

I think you should see your doctor.

I hope this symptom goes away soon and you start to feel better

Jack.

[Lbk64]

Absolutely yes! I feel like my heart stops beating also and it makes me jump up awake in a panic. Sometimes I lay awake until I'm so exhausted I just fall asleep. Anxiety and panic are the pits. Even though we know a lot of our symptoms are caused by an Overactive nervous system, it doesn't stop stuff happening :/

[Lolen90]

Yup I hate that feeling,but it stopped but hopefully it never returns

[GoWest]

Go to a sleep specialist and get a sleep study done. This will test for what is called "central sleep apnea." It is a physical issue with the central nervous system and is very serious. It has nothing to do with anxiety - not psychological. If it shows up in the sleep study you will be prescribed a CPAP machine - not fun but will enable you to have good sleep once you get used to it.