Nighttime Panic Attacks?

[harris5998]

Does anyone suffer from nightime panic attacks? Like, having nightmares and waking up feeling panicky every so often? Or just waking up nervous with your heart racing and body trembling? Some nights this happens multiple times per night, other nights (usually when I take Xanax before bed) it doesn't happen at all. It's very upsetting. I just did not know a person could wake up in the middle of a panic attack, I have enough of them during the day!

[suzi-q]

I used to wake up with one EVERY morning at one time...but never in the night...that was the only time that I am not anxious...once morning comes, its all over!!!!  Anxiety sets in!!

[wunabnorm]

I get that in some shape or form. When I try to go to sleep, I kind of feel like like just about as I am going to drift to sleep, I feel really panicky, almost as if I was floating out of my own body. Like I was leaving myself, and so I would wake up gasping for air. And recently... I have been having a new feeling. While I am sleeping... It's almost as if I can see myself sleeping, and I know that I am, and I can feel what it feels like quivers in my heart, or several pvc's in a row... and I feel like I am going to have a heart attack and die, so...I am fighting to wake myself up, and I can try several times, (screaming silently) or I can see myself trying to wake up my husband, but I can't move or spaek, and finally when I can wake up, I jump up in bed, and start gasping for air, and my heartbeat is racing!!! I might sound crazy... but... it's the only way I know how to explain it. Also...this can happen several times throughout the night. Anyone ever feel like that?

[meg1005]

I have had both experiences..I am a 21 yr old female who just recently graduated from college and have been experiencing what feels like a rush or numerous rushes before going to bed. It happens right before i go to sleep and it almost feels like an adrenaline rush with my heart speeding up and it waking me up. This can happen numerous times before I finally fall asleep from exhaustion. I have also experienced waking up before in the middle of the night gasping for air. It almost seems like I stopped breathing when I was sleeping and woke up gasping for air. This hasn't happened though for a couple months. I have recently gone to the doctor and they said everything was fine and am now waiting on blood work but I am extremely nervous and concerned!

[canihelp]

This happens when your breathing becomes shallow as you fall asleep.  It also happens when you have a rush of adrenalin as you fall asleep or during your sleep with dreams.  You quit breathing for a few seconds & the heart may skip and it wakens you.  I know it's frightening.  Sleep apnea can also cause that.  Stress is one of the main factors though in a healthy person (i think).

Read under heart problems forum to see more about heart skips & such.  These are usually benign, unless severe sleep apnea is involved. (in my knowledge)  By the way, the more you fear it, the worse it gets, so find a way to relax before you go to sleep (like reading a boring book, listening to soft music, cup of Chamomille tea, etc)

[MOTAH]

I used to get these but ONLY when I go to sleep with anxious thoughts in my head.

Try to dedicate at least 30 - 60 minutes of your time BEFORE you sleep in watching tv (& concentrating on it), listening to radio, or anything that is unrelated to your anxiety or fear.

if you could clear your mind for 30 - 60 minutes of your time before you go to bed & think of something happy or general or today's news, weather, a funny joke you remembered, etc... then you'll sleep fine & have normal dreams & you won't woke up.

I had these attacks during my sleep for around 1 month & they didn't go away until I made sure that sleep time is "forcefully" without worry.

cheers,

[aprilr]

i have the same thing i wake up every morning shaky and heart pounding for no reason its really scary

[snapdragonblue]

i wake shaky and heartbeating reallyfast too. i also have jumped out of bed from a full sleep, thinking i cant breath what is it?

[mia193]

I awake from my sleep with my heart racing, and this happens every so often now.  It used to be almost every night - from about 2-4am!  I too would pop a zanax before bed and noticed that it would help, or it i wake up, i will take one and fall back to sleep.  I think the body shuts down and the mind keeps going!  I also used to have a couple of glasses of wine before bed, thinking it would help me and it was worse for me, i think the sulfites made my heart race.  I have been (knock on wood) sleeping pretty well for about a month now, but it could always come back.  The only comfort is that I know the feeling from before, so I try to deep breath and calm myself, before i go into a full panic attack.  It does help, or I would go on this site, read some posts and it would put my mind at ease.
Hope it helps!
take care

[Mozartcowgirl]

I used to get those at night.. i would wake up .. feeling like i couldnt breath... the whole fight/flight thing.. run to the bathroom.. insert head into cold water  etc et c...

i stopped eating at least 3 hours before bed time.. then. i learned that you can eat certain foods.. at night.. that are good for you and mixes well with sleep.. Oatmeal. or raw vegtables.. i tried it.. it worked!!  i even slept better..

[Shannon Wyatt]

I too have this same condition -- I awake every morning (like clockwork) between 5:30am and 7am shaky and with my heart pounding -- every morning.  What is this?  Some latent anxiety from my subconscious?  Anyway, I have learned the best way to handle is to get up and get moving.  This works like a charm.  If it is really early, say 5:30am -- I'll go back to bed after a while but usually have a fitful and restless sleep until I get up @ 7:30am.

Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this happens in the early morning?  During the day I'm fine...   THanks!

[sick&tired01]

I'm so glad that I found this site because in the last few months I've been experiencing the same thing. I have been consumed with worry that I have a heart problem and was actually about to make an appointment with my cardiologist. ( I had to see one in the past due to severe heart palpitations.) Anyway, I'll jump out of sleep like someone scared me or something and I am trembling from head to toe, my heart is racing, and I have this strange warmth all through my body. I always look at the clock when I wake up with this and notice that it's usually about 2 hours after I've fallen asleep. I have been dealing with panic attacks since I was 6 years old so I know what they feel like, I'm just worried that I might have some kind of heart problem that is causing these symptoms. Sometimes I'm afraid if I go to sleep that I won't wake up because of this. I know it's most likely just my anxiety and hypochondria making me think this way but I still can't help but wonder.

[nastursim]

I use to wake up very regularly having a panic attack. I would wake up with that racy, light headedness, freaking out thinking I was going to die. I would pace the hallway and get myself so worked up. I would take largactyl and that would eventually knock me out. I don't know what made it stop, but as I got well within myself through therapy, they eventually did get under control. Every so often I will wake up feeling all panicky still, but I use talk therapy and tell myself that I am safe and concentrate on slowing my breathing down. Sometimes I have to snuggle up to my hubby to go back to sleep, or I put on some instrumental music to focus my attention on.

[Barbarella]

I used to get these panic attacks every night at 3 a.m. like a damn alarm clock.  I still get them sometimes at that time.  I get out of bed, check e-mails, send e-mails, and let my heart race and skip like I was taught in that book I read by Dr. Weeks.  I remember her words "let it come to its very worst you will NOT die", and soon after that I'm o.k.

[rightnode]

I get these... had one this week.  mine started about 7 years ago... 5 years before I had a daytime panic attack. I didn't know what it was... I thought I had developed asthma or something.. well that was checked out and is null.

My therapist said that anxiety will find a away to release it self-- it has to.   I find that if I breathe slowly and count backwards to take my mind off of it.. I relax and can fall back to sleep.  It does work for me.

[Michaelccc]

the breathing thing may be sleep apnea.  most likely not . it is a symptom of panic attacks. but sometimes even people with panic attacks get real problems such as sleep apnea. its a sleep disorder that is relatively easy to treat if that is the case and can definetly cause panic during sleep and breathing cesations

[Chik3442]

Thank God I found this site!  I too have experienced the same thing.  I wake from sleep, usually a couple hours after falling asleep, jumpy, heart racing...feeling like I'm going crazy!  I pace, sometimes have to go to the bathroom, whatever makes me feel normal again.  I'm so over it.  I've been battling anxiety for 12 years now!

[slugsushi]

Thank you everyone for sharing your comments. It is good to know that we are not alone, and certainly not dieing or going crazy. I"ve been experiencing night time attacks for about two years now, and they have seem to replaced the daytime ones, since I no longer get those. I usually wake up in a panic within one hour of falling asleep, and am never dreaming when they happen. If it is especially
dark in my room when they happen, I literally climb my walls trying to get out of my room, and panic
even more as I feel trapped. I feel very disorientated and have a hard time finding the door. My intial panic though is a feeling that I can't breathe, and I wake up gasping for air. Fortunately these don't happen on a regular basis, and I've never been able to get a medical explanation. I do have my own theories though, and I definitley think that my disorder is inherited from my mother. I am also a very
high strung person who doesn't do stress well. I think anyone suffering from panic attacks would do well to stay away from sugar, caffeine and alcohol.  The last time this happen to me  I had eaten a very sweet dessert in the evening.- only a theory but a very possible cause.  My hope is that everyone who suffers from these very scary episodes will find some lasting peace and healing. Good luck to you all.

[tlj02002]

I too have this problem, I only have panic attacks at night time, and typically I find myself waking up at exactly 2am; having to walk around, go to the bathroom, and stare at the ceiling for another hour before sleeping again. I am taking Zoloft and Clozepam, and these have helped it tremendously. I also have RLS (restless leg syndrome) due to the Zoloft, but the Clozepam seems to help it at times. My doctor has recommended not eating at least 2-3 hours before bed, staying away from alcohol, smoking, eat healthier, do stretches before bed (for RLS and to help sleep). The biggest thing is to go get help. I dont like medication, but now that I am on it, it has helped me tremendously. This also runs in my family BIG TIME, my grandmother's ideology on this is, "so what you're on meds, you prefer the attacks?" my answer to that is no. Good luck with the sleeping, and seek help, you are not alone, as we have noticed, there are many of us out there with this problem.

[Anxious_Manna]

actually I woke up once and I was having a panic attack let me tell you that was the weirdest feeling ever I couldn't breathe and I thought I was gunna die... I don't know what 2 do but I just fell back to sleep :( .. .But I feel you... and I'm sorry you're going through this stay strong

Anxious_Manna

[Imagine865]

I sympathize with all of you. I have many of those abrupt awakenings in the middle of the night, sure this is it, I'm dying. I must propel myself out of bed just to convince myself I'm alright. Once I recover, which takes about twenty minutes I often go back to sleep only to have it happen again.

I am trying to cut out the Xanax since I either need a lot more of it or none at all. I'm down to .25 2x per day. I feel lousy all the time, many panic attacks, a lot of a disoriented feeling. Can't stand in line without turning into taffy, often collapsing. Can't stand heat, light or noise. When people argue, beep car horns, it's torture. I start shaking form head to toe and feel like I'm suffocating.

My only fear about cutting the Xanax out altogether is the seizures everyone talks about. How about the irony of a drug that cures anxiety which gives you seizures when you stop it. We are trapped.

[Spaz68]

So excited to see I"m not the only one who is a spastic mess!  LOL.  OMG.....I'm experience the nighttime panic attacks due to excessive anxiety from my Mother's death and thought I was losing my mind!  So glad to find yall!  I take Xanax .5 for them, but does it really cause seizures if you stop taking it?  Yikes!

[beckycup]

I'm 19 years old, and I dont know whats going on with me. I'm not sure if what I'm experiencing is the same as what has been described here but it sound about right.
Three night ago I couldn't fall asleep because I was having some kind of anxiety attack. It started with feeling that prickly feeling on my leg that one some times gets when lying still in bed, but this time I got scard thinking there were ants on my leg. It was my first night back in my apartment after a two week vacation and the whole evening I was a bit worried about bugs crawling into my bed while I was away. Anyway after that I started freaking out about little noises and stuff, and I thought I was losing my mind.
I got realy freaked out. I am not a panicky person and this never happend to me befor. I got up and started going through all the possibilities of why I felt "wierd". Finally I fell asleep, but the next day I was depressed and ended up going home to my mom.
Two night ago I got a "bad" "scared" feeling and was crying for no reson at all (just because I felt weird). Its passed. Last night I went to bed feeling panicky but I focused on falling asleep and I did.
At around four thirty I woke up and jumped out of bed, I was really dizzy and panicked, although my heart was not racing. I went to pee and had some water and went back to bed still light headed.
I dont know what to think. At first I thought I was developing some kind of depression, but now I just think I'm going crazy.

[fluglehorn]

I thought I was the only one suffering from these panic attacks. I can't watch exciting TV shows or movies, because they may cause my heart to race and fear I'll have a heart attack, which makes it race even more.
Also a frightening dream can wake me, with a pounding heart. I have to get up and calm myself, watching some bland TV show. This usually takes about an hour, so I don"t get enough sleep.

.

[Autumnx1003]

Wow---I knew I wasnt the only one this problem, but I didn't know how many other people suffer with it as well!!! Yes---there's nothing that ruins my day more than waking up with that ole' racy heart, skin's crawling feeling.  OK---there is something worse, the times that I have not been able to go to sleep because of it!  I have been having this really bad for the last 2 months, and I'm really fed up with it, too!  I had it last night super bad and this morning I was a basket case.  

So---although it may not ease your symptoms, it may make you feel better to know that you are not alone :)  Many of us anxiety sufferes get the bed time creepy-crawlies-can't-calm'downs.  

[leebase]

I suffer from night time panic attacks as well.   Started when about 6 years ago when I'd been out of work 8 months.   Right before I'd fall asleep I'd get this overwhelming sense of "I'm going to die right now" -- truly terrifying.   Tingling -- over aware of all my body senses -- feeling that if I didn't intentionally breathe, I'd stop - fear that I'd choke.

I got through that after a couple years.   6 months of the attacks and a year and a half of a fixation on my mortality.

A year an half ago I had a reoccurrence  -- but without fear of dying -- just a strong desire to flee.   I was on vacation in the mountains and felt the desire to 'get off the mountain' -- but when I got back home and still woke up desiring to 'flee the mountain', I realized it wasn't just related to being up high.   Got past that in a month or so.

And just had a reccurence the last couple weeks.   Woke up with the desire to flee -- and general fear and anxiety -- but not really about anything.    Really stinks.   I know it's a panic attack, I know it'll pass -- but it's no fun as I get up and go watch tv, only to flee to my office....then to the shower.....then back to the bed.....no matter where I go, I need to flee from it :(

Had a dr. appt. yesterday and got a script for Ambien and Xanex.   Short term coping strategy.   Never tried the xanex before, but the ambien has helped me a lot in the past.   After I have an attack, I'm anxious about going to bed the next night (and the next and so on).   Having a sleep aid helps me sleep successfully and break the cycle.

Lee

[1BlueJay]

I am a 53-year-old woman, menopausal, but on HRT. Not infrequently, I wake up about 2 hours after going to sleep (just as Sick&TIred described in his/her post). My heart is POUNDING, racing, and usually the thing that woke me up is a strange dream - which I actually think is my mind's way of saying "Wake up! Your heart is racing!" So it's not the dream that causes the heart racing & palpitations, it's my biological body causing that, but my mind is smart enough to wake me up so I can calm down and attend to it.

Related to this, I have GERD. I have found that my trigger foods are: alcohol, caffeine, rich/fatty foods, and sugars (particularly mint and/or chocolate combos). I try to NEVER have more than 1-2 trigger foods together at night, and I'm trying hard to stop eating after 7:30pm, to allow my body to digest the food better.

I haven't seen a specialist about this condition yet, but am attributing it to hormones and the natural "stair-step" process of aging. But it is DANG scary. I can only calm myself down by strong mental rote: like saying the alphabet over and over, while gently rubbing my tummy and chest region. Just wanted to share this, cuz it looks like I have plenty of company. Can anyone out there share some doctor diagnoses, too?

[SusieC122]

My symptoms have been a bit different.  I woke up one night afew months ago, with the feeling of "butterflies" in my stomach.  That really scared me!  I then went't into a full-blown panic attack.  Since then, it happens during the day and almost every night.  Both when im trying to go to sleep, or waking up during the night.  Its horrible because its very difficult to get back to sleep when im that nervous.  Often when i do, i wake up again with the same panic and sick feeling in my stomach.  I have taken xanax afew times, when i cant get back to sleep.  It does help.  I'm just afraid I will become dependent on it, so I only take it when i really need to.  Some days, i get depressed thinking I will never overcome this.  I think about these panic attacks constantly!  I know its making it worse.  I miss the person I used to be.

At least I know I'm not alone.  It helps to read about other people's experiences.

[met_tech]

There are so many people suffering from panic attacks,which i also suffer from these darn things for 20yrs.....
but the question is are they doing any RESEARCH to what really causes them....

[sylviasylvia2]

I tell you all have been a great help to me.  I am 41  and have had suffered panic attacks back about 10 yrs ago and 10 years before that.  It seems like an every 10 yr thing for me.  I have been diagnosed to having mile sleep apnea which I have a Cpap machine, but as of a month or so ago I started having an attack in the middle of the night  I would wake up gasping for air, my heart would be 130-150 beats a minute and my blood pressure was off the charts.  I was certain I was having heart failure. I have been to so many damn doctors and Emergency Rooms and everything comes back just fine.  I have had blood tests, full cardiac work ups and seen sleep specialists.  I am almost embarrased to admit that these nighttime severe attacks are part of a panic attack.  I almost want there to be something wrong, instead of being told, "you cant handle life, so your subconscious messes with you when you sleep".  I will say that taking a valium before bed has helped a lot.  I was afraid of taking a sedetive for fear of my breathing to be very depressed and I would stop breathing altogether.  My sleep doctor said to do it.  I have been going on almost two months of unrestorative sleep.  I feel like I am crazy, exhausted, can't concentrate on anything, had to take several days off work to offset the embarrasment of possible having to tell my boss, I was having a nervous breakdown....I feel shameful, however, I realize, it's not my fault.  I am getting the help I need, simplifying as much as I can. I am a high strung person , I have bipolar disorder, asthma, hypothyroid, ADHD, I have had 16 surgeries in my life, (none of them cosmetic, unfortunately.LOL) but I am hopefull in knowing that I am not going to die, even though it feels like it and that I pray my higher power will help me on.

[sylviasylvia2]

A follow up sleep study determined that I DEFINATELY have Nighttime Panic Attacks as soon as I hit my DEEP SLEEP wave.  It was documented at the sleep center I went to.  I got my results a week later.  I am SOOOO relieved that they saw it and that I know I do not have an underlying doomed diagnosis.  As I had stated in my last note, I am a high strung person and I am in counseling now, seeing my psychiatrist regularly on an antidepressand/anxiety med and taking valium before bed.  My Primary dr put me on Toprol XL to control the adrenalin surges in case of "the attack" until I can work out my daytime anxieties and deal with them, then I can get off  the heart/blood pressure med.  I hope this post helps someone who is suffering with this problem which is really fixable.

[Mrsb1733]

Since my attacks really started rolling a few months back, I can tell you my dreams are more vivid and a bit scarier and YES I wake up in the night struggling to breath.  Sometimes I have to fall back to sleep sitting up cause I am afraid my tounge will block off my throat and I will sufficate.  My poor poor hubby has to deal with this almost nightly.  

I know exactly how you feel Harris!  On the nights i have drank enough to pass out (maybe once a month) or have taken my Clonazapam, I have no dreams and sleep endlessly.  I hate feeling that I have to rely on drugs and alcohol to get through the night sometimes.  That thought alone sends me into a tail spin of anxiety attacks.  

[Sandybeach33]

Going to bed at night used to be a very comforting and relaxing experience for me.  Over the past year, however, night time is accompanied by bouts of panic and sleeplessness.  The best way I can describe it is I just get near sleep (usually after about 30 minutes in bed) when out of the blue my whole body starts to tingle, my breathing and heart rate speeds up, and my thoughts start racing.  It's like the feeling you would get if somebody came up behind you and scared you...that jumpy rush of adrenaline that makes your whole body a tingly jolt of energy.  Sometimes this happens during the day too, but I'm usually too busy to let it get to a panic situation.  I don't know how to stop this from happening, but it is reassuring to know that it is not a life-threatening situation and others share this same problem.

[Claire722]

Wow!!!! I have read all your postings sometimes laughing because finally I feel like their are people out there that get me... I remember the first time I had one it it woke me up out of my sleep and when you are totally unaware of this and have never experienced it before of course you feel like you are dyinge why wouldn't you how the hell are you to know this is normal.... my boyfriend was so scared he was like what the hell is wrong with you go back to sleep... Ya so freaking easy for someone to say that has never expierienced it - must be nice and what is the underlying issue why some of us experience this and some of us never do? Ok went to the doctors did it all wore the heart machine for a week, did a heart ultrasound and nothing! So I thought to myself I'm a smoker I like to drink coffee alcohol from time to time could this be it? Nope unfortunately my bad habbits were not the answers I would wonder why sometimes I would have them in the middle of night and sometimes I wouldn't. I have become dependant on gravol as I am scared to get on prescribed meds not that this is any better. Then the anxiety escalated for me to drive on the highways... where the heck did this come from now? I love to drive I'm in real estate for crying out loud I have created a monster and I so want it to stop. I have been researching this for a while and yes caffene and alchol do trigger this I have recently found and encourage you all to check out hypoglycemia alot of it makes sence and since the doctors out there have no freaking clue except for drugging us... hey not nocking it but really for so many of us suffering why is there not more research don??? Anyways when this happened to me last night it was SO COMFORTING to know that I was not alone in the middle of the night pacing my hallways, turning on all the lights, watching re-runs of Three's Company to try to get back to sleep to know that I am not crazy and in good company with all of you that let's face it why the hell would any of us want or creat this. I hope we do all find a cure to this and live freely without fear. I thank you for sharing and helping me feel not alone.... Love Claire

[itsallwaves]

I dread the night. I never know when my panic attacks will hit me, but at night is when I'm most vulnerable. And, since I'm generally exhausted and not thinking clearly, everything that's horrible seems magnified. It's just horrible.

[crazyintampa]

I also have sleep panick attacks. I suddenly have a dream that I am having a heart attack, and I know that I am dying and I can't wake up. A couple of months ago I woke up and had the strangest sensation of doom. I was crying for no reason at all out of a dead sleep. My husband woke up to me crying and struggling to breath, and I am terrified that he thinks I am going crazy. I feel like I am going crazy. I finally had a full blown panick attack at work yesterday. My arms went numb, I was weak and dizzy, I thought I was going to pass out and die. It was all I could do to walk to my boss' desk and ask for help. He called the paramedics, and my heart felt like it was going to explode. I didn't think I would make it out, I was certain I was going to die. Of course, nothing was physically wrong with me, the paramedics told me. I can't find any triggers for these symptoms. I don't drink alcohol, I don't eat 2-3 hours before bed, I don't have any real stressors in my life. I just think I am insane.

[Gen79]

I have had a problem with having panic attacks when waking up every day for almost a month now.  At first I thought it was due to the meds I was taking, but now that I am on a diffrent med the symptoms are still the same.  I wake up anywhere from 4:30 to 6:00 with my eyes wide open. My heart pounds so hard it feels like it will jump out of my chest and my breathing becomes fast and shallow.  My arms start to get this pins and needles feeling and then my stomach becomes up set and I somtimes have to throw up. I am still tired and try to fight it and go back to sleep, but the more I fight it the worse it gets.  Getting up helps most of the symptoms go away except the nausea.  That takes most of the morning to pass.  After that I am fine for the rest of the day.  I can't stand starting my day off like this every day.  I am so glad that I found this site and now know that it's just not me.   My therapist tells me once we fix my problems, the anxiety will go away but how long will that take?  If any one can give me some advice I would love to hear it.

[h20guy]

i have the same thing going on with me and i feel the same way-i have had stress tests,ekgs ,etc -all is good. i used to take xanex and alot of other prescriptions. i changed my diet and started drinking 3-5 bottles of water aday and no longer having the panic attacks,but i believe some certain foods are giving me the jump out of bed starteled feeling and being stressed out. start a journal being sure to write i it ever night before food focusing on what you are eating and drinking-your symptoms for the day-and how well you slept the night before.you can also use it to write down your feelings.you can look back and see if there are any similar things you are doing that are contributing to how you are feeling .this has helped me a great deal. hope this will help some.

[mk_rice]

I am so glad to know I'm not alone! I have been suffering from nocturnal panic attacks for several years. I'm 28 now, but even when I was in high school I would wake up and worry I had forgotten to study for a test or forgotten to do a major report. Then as I got older and added work into the mix with school I'd worry about that too. Now I worry about money or my parent's or my health. It's this sudden jolting feeling...waking up from a seemingly deep sleep with your heart pounding and all this feeling of doom. It usually happens to me around 12-2am. I've gotten to the point where I try to go to bed early enough that I can have time to self-soothe after the attack and get a little more sleep. I wonder sometimes what it must be like to sleep the entire night through. Maybe someday I'll find out again.

[Ness_is_a_mess]

I wake up with my heart racing.  Does anyone ever get this?

[nancyls]

WHEN MY PANIC ATTACKS STARTED: I first had night panic attacks when I was pregnant in 1966.  I had them again when I was pregnant in 1978.  They mostly disappeared throughout the years.  I might have had one about every 4-5 years.  In 2004, I started having them again, but on a more frequent basis.  MY PANIC ATTACK EXPERIENCES: I would find myself abruptly awakened, with the blanket up to my chin.  My chest would be red hot and I would leap from my bed.  All I could manage was to tear off my clothes to get cool and pace the floor.  I was overwhelmed with a feeling of doom, unable to breathe and edgy all over.  I had a feeling of being alone in the world and that I was going to die.  I was in a full-blown panic mode.  I just could not get calm or take in enough oxygen.  IMMEDIATE REMEDIES THAT WORK FOR ME:  I would reduce my clothes to a simple covering ... stick my head in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator to get cold moist air to breath ... grabbed anything wet and cold to place on my chest and back of neck to cool my body down ... and walk outside - if it was colder than inside.  After a quick brisk walk around my home or down the block and I could always feel myself calming down.  If you can't leave your home surroundings for a walk, then go to your computer.  DO NOT READ about panic attacks if they make you more nrervous.  Find an online game like Scrabble or something to put your energy and thoughts into something you might enjoy.  MEDICATIONS:  I'm not much for taking a lot of medication, but I keep Diazapam on hand that I take ONLY if I cannot get outside because of bad weather or the internet is down.  Just 5 milligrams and I'm ready for again for bed in less than 20 minutes.  My doctor gave me Effexor XR 37.5 MG about a year ago and my panic attacks rarely occur now.   I highly recommend it.  Meanwhile, tell yourself you are not alone in the world, cool off, do something to take your mind off what you might be experienceing or change your scenery with a walk.  I understand your pain.  I hope I've helped at least one person survive these awful feelings.  Nancy - Corpus Christi, TX

[Commandogirl]

I read all the comments above and am floored. I thought I was living a personal and very private hell that no one understood. Some insight into this would be the following: after being told I had a great deal of anxiety and stress (duh, what gave it away, Doc?) I was put on several trials of antidepressants. Waking up in the middle of the night thinking I was dying was a huge part of my seeking help, but it was also happening during the daytime too. I will tell you that certain antidepressants seemed to exaccerbate my panic, and I was told it was most likely a manic episode being triggered, that sometimes it happens with certain drugs. So to a shrink I went. He agreed that the M.D. had a point, and I was treated with many many different drugs, all turning me into a zombie. I still have panic attacks to this day, on occasion, but not with the frequency I was. I'm on abilify, lamictal, corguard (for heart palpitations), xanax, hydroxypam, and prozac. If you folks continue having these issues, consider what I just told you. It may be PTSD, bipolar, or schitzophrenia. Just my two cents.

[dreder]

Well, any panic attacks that involve waking up from a deep sleep after 3 hours and having a severe blood rush to the head producing a headache and then calming down after 20 minutes but being left with mild head tingling and weakness?

[imkatidoo]

My attacks come and go, but mostly start this time of year (October),
I dread sundown and night time.  I am 52, and know that nothing is going to happen, but this time of ay makes me nuts.  
All I want is for the sun to come back!  I count the hours until sunrise.
Once the sun is up, I can pull myself together and sleep again.
I can be asleep and bound straight out of bed, with shallow breathing and this feeling of dread, and immediately look at the clock to see how soon the sun will be rising.
Is this nuts or what?
I try to calm myself, talk to myself, will swallow a benadryl to make myself sleepy, all the while freaked out over it being dark outside.
I'm not "scared of the dark" by any means, this is more of a claustrophobia thing, I think.
Once it is no longer dark, I'm much better.
I grieve for a month knowing the time change will bring the darkness sooner...help, I can't live like this anymore, and my doc just poo poos me off, and I can't switch cause i have no med insurance.

HELP

[mapster]

Thank you all for reassuring me that I'm not a total freak!  I was diagnosed with panic disorder about 5 years ago, but every time I wake up with my heart racing and a panic attack, I tend to forget that and am sure that something is horribly wrong and I am going to die.

I had a few attacks before telling my doctor. When they happened, I thought they were allergic reactions since I've had a few serious reactions with some of the same symptoms, so I took a hot shower to help the shaking and took a benadryl. The next time I saw the dr., I told her about them and she said I had classic symptoms of a panic attack. She said that they normally go away in about a half hour and the benadryl probably helped calm me down since most allergy medications have a sedative quality to them. She gave me a perscription for Ativan, but I never tried it thinking I would rather take benadryl since I know how it affects me, and that's still my remedy. I take a hot shower which helps the shaking and starts to calm me down, then take a benadryl with some camomille tea. After that, I can usually go back to sleep without anymore attacks.

Since then I've learned that caffeine is a real trigger for me. When things are going okay, I can have maybe one cup of coffee in the morning and that's it. I've gone months at a time without any attacks by just watching my caffeine. When I'm really stressed though, it doesn't matter. I can be completely off of caffeine (as I've been for about the last month) and still have attacks, like I did last night. The only good thing I can say about the one last night is that it brought me to this forum!

Whomever said that nightime panic attacks are such a lonely thing, is surely right!  It helps immensely to know that there are others out there who are experiencing the same thing. Thank you all again for your sharing!

[MT70y]

I just retired and was hoping for a decrease of panic attacks - my pattern is to feel like I am having heart attack around 4am. I have attributed this to work stress, but now I still have the attacks. It is especially scary since I have had multiple heart attacks. I do know the difference when I am awake, but half asleep I panic over the panic! I take my pulse rate - it is normal not racing. And I don't feel that squeezing chest feeling. But I sure lose sleep.
I wonder if I just have the bad habit of panic and anxiety from the work environment. My new reasons for anxiety: money, health, wife's health, and money.
I found this website very helpful - I want to thank everyone for their candor.

[baylynn]

is it something about 4:30 and panic attacks? almost every post ive read mentioned that time. I wake up every morning almost at 4:30 and am either able to fall back asleep or sit there and stress and freak out about something so random and out of the blue. I thought I was going crazy!

[Yve232]

I get rushes of adrenalin all day off and on everyday  that causes my heart to race and then stop and then race and then stop and it can at times be worse at night. I have problems sleeping too and especially trying to get to sleep. I am on wellbutrin because I suffer from panic dissorder, and I am going to the doctors today to see if i can get on something new.

[hmf099]

I used to have these problems. I'm no dr but here's some sleep health techniques that got rid of my problems with night/early morning panic.No caffeine! It's horrible for anxiety but wean off it, if you stop cold turkey it can cause headaches.if you must have caffeine, try not to have any 4 hours before bed. This gives your body time to metabolize it before sleep.no sugar 3 hours before bed, if you're craving it have a piece of fresh fruit. Don't sleep with the tv on. Tune your radio to static or turn on a fan if you need noise to sleep. Your room should be cool, turn the heat down a couple degrees in the evening. When you get in bed do a simple breathing excersize to fall asleep peacefully. Inhale through your nose to the count of 4 (one mississippi, two mississippi, ect) then exhale out the mouth the same way. Repeat unil you drift off. If you still wake up in a panic, calmly tell yourself it is just anxiety and it will pass then repeat the breathing technique. Make sure you take a daily multi vitamin and talk to your dr about other supplements like a B complex. This is a mix of things that helped me that I learned from my psychiatrist, my therapist, the attacking anxiety and depression program, books on anxiety, and other people with anxiety. This all worked for me, especially eliminating all caffeine. I hope this will help you.