NAPS

[Restokley1]

Every time I take a nap in the day, say after I have worked on my car or something; I always wake up scared. Does this happen to anyone else?

[Agora1]

Restokley1, it use to happen to me every time I took a nap or fell asleep on the couch watching tv. I'd wake up scared to death.

[foxglove in reply to Agora1]

Me too, I even wake up scared in bed in morning. Not much help to you but I think ther is a lot of it about!

[Mommadee]

Happens to me sometimes when I'm home and fall asleep during the day...I wake up with a panic attack.

[Lbk64]

I've had this in the past too. I used to wake up feeling like an alien. I would be really out of sorts and rattled. Haven't had it for a long time now. I do believe it's part of an exhausted nervous system.

[corsaUMM]

Yes I do , lurching stomach too.

[Mandy86]

When I'm going through a rough spell with my anxiety the same thing happens to me . I'm currently going through a rough patch and I didn't set an alarm for this morning so I slept in until 7:40 and had to be to work for 8. I woke up in a mad panic and that feeling was so overwhelming that I actually cried the entire time I was getting ready for work . Sobbed was more like it . To the point my boyfriend was that worried he dropped by work to make sure I was okay . And I was , and I knew I would be but it was easier to just cry then waste time trying to reassure myself or sort through what I was feeling and why lol . I was only ten minutes late in the end and there was no reason to be scared ... There never usually is !! I tell myself that When I feel that way . I remind myself that everything is fine and try to go on about my usual routine despite the feeling.

[Vixrey44]

Yes, it happens to me too, I feel horribly disoriented and really panicky - I thought it was just me as most people I know love a nap!

[AnxiousAmy]

Napping was always my releif..

But lately I am getting this too.

Last week I had a wonderful nap, but woke up so disoriented and out of it with a strong feeing of derealization and it sent me into a panic attack. I don't know why I feel so crumby after napping lately you aren't alone.

[Agora1 in reply to AnxiousAmy]

Hi AnxiousAmy, I went through a time where my meds were making me so sleepy that I needed that nap in the afternoon as well as falling asleep on the couch while watching tv at night. Each time I would wake up with a startle, crying and saying "I'm scared". Disoriented for a few moments until I got myself together and then I would be okay. I finally figured out that it had to do with not being in control when I would fall asleep. After all anxiety is all about us having control of our situation and that's why the "what if" comes into play. I was scared of that short time of sleep coming over me without any notice. I really think that's why we wake up scared. Loss of Control. That's my reasoning...it no longer happens to me. I don't take the nap (because I don't need it) but do still fall asleep watching tv and wake up with no panic. Hope you don't feel alone with this issue. x

[Aazz]

When you sleep your cortisol levels rise (stress hormone) that is why many anxiety sufferers feel worst in the mornings. I believe also when you are napping (sleeping in general) you go to your subconscious level and that is where all your anxiety is stored so I think when you wake up out of it you're mind is at a different level your groggy foggy and still stuck in the subconscious for a few moments, I'm probably not making sense but I just don't know how to explain it properly LOL

[Agora1 in reply to Aazz]

Makes a lot of sense Aazz. x