Panic in my sleep

I have been having more panic attacks in my sleep recently. I have told my psycologist about this. We are having a very difficult time with my anxiety and panic because we cannot seem to find a trigger fro them and she says that normally people do not have panic attacks in their sleep. I just wake up with palipitations and extreme fear. My flight respons is on all cylinders and all I want is to get away. I often go outside to get freash air. I will lay on the back pourch and wait for my body to clam and my heart to slow down.

We thought about bad dreams, but I have lots of dreams, bad and good, but I have never been terrified of them. I think of my dreams as an adventure, always have. I just do not feel like dreams are causing me to have these episodes in my sleep.

I am not over weight and do not suffer from sleep apnea.

Is it possible that my anxiety and panic in my sleep is caused by something physiological not psycological?

[cmur06]

There are a lot of people on this forum who have discussed about having panic attacks in their sleep.  I think it is because our body gets so used to the anxiety that we start to do it subconsciously.

As for me, when I started getting my panic attacks again I would fall asleep for a little and then wake up in total panic and I would jump out of bed and fall over because my body was so numb from my hyperventilating in my sleep and i would be incredibly dizzy with my heart racing.  Sometimes when I took naps I would feel completely fine and as I woke up from my naps I would immediately start feeling anxious and get a panic attack.

[KaitlynLeigh]

I have been waking up shortly after falling asleep in extreme panic and fear thinking something bad has happened, such as the world ending, i know it's extreme and don't know why I freak out about it so bad. My heart races and I can't get it to go down for quite some time. I think it might have something to do with the REM sleep cycle and subconscience worries working their way in.

[summerrain777]

Yes I have gotten them in my sleep and naps for 10 years. It does happen and our bodies get used to them.

I have tried many drugs and natural supplements over the years. Acceptance. Some days are better than others. Its frustrating as when you are sleeping and have no control over how you wake up.