Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Sleep Apnea (Expert Forum)
Suffocating during Dreams
Answered by
Steven Y Park, MD - sleep-breathing disorders
Private Practice
New York - NY
Questions in the Sleep Breathing Disorders Forum are being answered by Dr. Steven Y. Park.
Suffocating during Dreams
by ashann89, May 15, 2009 12:34AM
I was wondering if you could help me with this sleep problem that I've been having.I didn't really think it was anything to worry about until it began happening on numerous occasions.The whole dream I know that I am dreaming. Its like I am watching a movie. In the dreams it builds up to a very scary ending and something happens that scares me enough to where I need to wake up. One that I can remember for example, at the end I was shoved through a giant mirror and just flying through time with tons of force. When it happens it takes my breath away, I start gasping for air, just moaning and whippering, because I cant say anything. I know that I am dreaming and trying to to get someone that is in the room with me to hear me and wake me up. I try so hard to wake up so I can breathe, but no matter how hard I try I can't wake up fom the dream unless someone physically shakes me to wake me up. Also, during the dream I can tell where in waking life someone is in the room. I live with my boyfriend, and during these dreams when Im trying to yell for him to wake me up, I can still see the dream happening and I can see where he really is in the room. Im not sure if its because these dreams usually happen soon after I fall asleep and just remember where he was at the time i fell asleep, but i know that sometimes these dreams have happened after i've been asleep for a longer time. I believe that its probably stress related, that is the only thing I can think of. But i'm scared to go to sleep with no one there with me. Out of all the times I have had this happen I have not once been able to physically wake myself up. Im scared that if it happens when I'm by myself, ill just suffocate. One time that i was trying to wake up and gasping for air it seemed like it went on for over a minute and half. I remember my gasps getting slower. Hopefully from what I wrote you can maybe get some idea of why this happens, or what i can do to make it not happen.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Steven Y Park, MD, May 17, 2009 08:58PM
, May 17, 2009 08:58PM
What you're going through must be truly a frightening experience. It sounds like you're having nightmares with possibly one of the sleep paralysis conditions. This is where your brain wakes you up without turning on the switch that tells your body to move. REM sleep is when you're dreaming, but also when your muscles are completely paralyzed. There can be confusion of these sleep stages when waking up. Your best bet is to see a sleep medicine doctor. Good luck.
