wake up with a panic attack

Does anyone have panic attacks in their sleep that wakes them up? I find myself once or twice a week waking up feeling anxious and having a hard time breathing. If I wake up I cannot go back to sleep no matter what time it is because I am afraid I will die.

[cnote]

Yes I have experienced morning anxiety many of times... also nocturnal anxiety... when I either wake up in the middle of the night... or in the morning... feeling tingly... hard to breath... or relax... sweaty.... and I cannot go back to sleep. It *****!

It's just anxiety though... just tell yourself that next time it happens... and you should fall back to sleep. =)

[theotterone]

Night is especially hard for anxiety sufferers.  Anxiety attacks are our "fight or flight" switches flipping when there is no danger.  Night can spark a primal fear since it is not easy to see and there is "unknown" out there.  Try some guided relaxation when you wake in a panic.  It should help calm you and get you back to sleep.

[anxiety321]

I had the same problem and eventually discovered that it might be caused by a magnesium deficiency.  I felt a little better after a few weeks of taking magnesium supplements.  When I added a dose of vitamin B-6 100mg (taken in the morning to avoid vivid dreams) it was like flicking a switch.  I woke up normally for the first time in seven months after adding the B-6 (which helps cells absorb magnesium).

I suggest looking up the symptoms of magnesium deficiency to see if that might be the cause.  Apparently no one gets as much magnesium in their diet as they should, but there are factors such as stress that can drain magnesium from the body.  For a more thorough explanation you might want to check out a book called The Magnesium Miracle.

Magnesium can be supplemented with over the counter pills.  It comes in several forms that all work fairly well.  "Chelated" magnesium is the best absorbed but more expensive.  Don't take magnesium oxide as it is poorly absorbed.  There is also "magnesium oil" which can be absorbed through the skin.  Supposedly it is absorbed more easily than oral supplementation and helps restore magnesium reserves faster, but I haven't tried it out yet.

The correct dosage of magnesium is different for each person and can be anywhere between 200mg-1000mg a day.  It's difficult to overdose on magnesium, but too much magnesium can cause diarrhea (which exacerbates the deficiency) so start with a low dose and work up.  Vitamin B-6 can be toxic in high doses, so don't take more than the recommend amount if you decide to try a b-6 supplement.

Other mineral deficiencies such as potassium or calcium can cause similiar symptoms, but magnesium deficiency seems to be far more common.  You may also want to look into Hyperventilation Syndrome, which can also be caused by a magnesium deficiency.