Nocturnal fainting

[ecogirl]

For over 10 years I have been having occasional to frequent what I have come to call

[Artorian]

Hi

I have the same problems i am affraid to fall asleep not knowing if i will wake in the morning because i keep having this feeling in bed im about to faint... My head also feels very heavy like im not relaxed and pushing it into the pillow.

I have a low blood pressure and i get dizzy during the day... well the problem is basically same category as everyone here is describing i have some of my own ideas to what i could improve to possibly make this better in my case but i havent tried it yet..

i think one of the reasons for all this could also be fatigue, and i eat the same food all the time and i am also very skinny although my blood was always really good on all blood tests and i am in medical therms "healthy"

-- drink more fluids especially water
-- go to bed early
-- some easy physical activity (a walk in the nature, a short jog)
-- eat more and smaller meals and different food (fruit and vegetables)

i think 4 of the above are the main things to run a healthy life and to solve most of people problems in general and alot more than any medicine.. i do not do any of the above which is quite funny considering i realize the faults and dont make it better but i really have to try and as soon as possible because i sleep only few hours a day.. i have to go to work in 3 hours and i havent slept yet

[sgroclkc]

Your sleep paralysis is caused by low blood pressure.

[sgroclkc]

Sleep paralysis physical symptoms are same as fainting (syncope) physical symptoms and so sleep paralysis is caused by fainting (syncope) .

[Evangeline101]

I too have this problem and have wondered about it for many years.  It does seem like the pre-cursor to an Out of Body Experience (Astral Projection) but having experienced many of those also, it isn't exactly the same.  

I'm on no medications at all and have this "fainting in my sleep" sometimes 3 times a week, perhaps 3 or 4 times, before I'm able to go to sleep - and then I may have no such nightly disturbance for a few weeks.  

Unlike the state of Sleep Paralysis (SP), it is not accompanied by a rushing noise or the usual feeling of being paralyzed, just a definite sensation complete memory loss and of being pulled somewhere in your mind and having to yank yourself back before you die. I always pull myself back with a massive intake of breathe, it is as if I have stopped breathing for some time and have to completely re-fill my lungs and sometimes feel as though my brain has suffered a mild shock, almost.  

I too have been to a sleep disorder specialist regarding SP but he insisted it could only occur in the rapid eye movement cycle of sleep, which takes around 20 minutes to reach, but I know it happens when I haven't yet fallen asleep and can be simply very relaxed in the supine (on my back) position and even just daydreaming with my eyes closed.  This makes me wonder if they really know anything at all about SP.

There is a certain link to SP episodes and laying in the supine position but these jolting sleep-fainting episodes are experienced in any position.  With SP, if I'm not conscious enough to realise that I'm about to have an OBE, I'm able to release the paralysis and stop the rushing sensations and noises by wiggling my little finger or shaking my head, the latter being more difficult to achieve.  With these episodes of sleep-fainting, there is no warning and the only way to stop it is to sit up and calm yourself down from a frenzy.

I hope this helps someone experiencing this frightening condition and good luck to all.  I doubt very much if it's related to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome because they would surely have linked it by now to previous victims complaining of SP or blacking out as they are just about to fall asleep, so I think we can relax slightly regarding dying as otherwise normal healthy people in our sleep.  No that that would be a bad way to go I suppose, but still.  <3

[chocolatina]

OMG I have been noticing the same symptoms> Last night I had an episode and my heart was pumping really hard afterwards as if to revive me.  Really weird stuff. It ususally happens to me when I am falling asleep.  I also have a lot of tingling senastions all over body. I dont know if its circulation. I have never been to the Dr for it, but is pretty scary.  Now I am wondering if this is what happens when people die in their sleep. If they have one of this episodes and dont come back from it.  Scary stuff> I think I am going to look for a Neurologist.

[jesslh]

I had this happen to me for the first time last night. I woke up during the night and 10 or so minutes later as i tried to fall back asleep, i felt as though i was fainting but also paralyzed. I've fainted before and this felt exactly like that although i didnt actually black-out last night. The feeling went away after a few minutes but it scared me because id never had anything like that happen before. There have been a few times when ive woken up during the night and not been able to move a limb etc and during this, i havnt been able to call out to anybody. I've put that down to sleep paralysis, so im assuming this is related?

[Suzie_Q_2]

I am very glad to have found this thread. I, like the rest of you, have these horrible sleep episodes that feel like I am slipping away! The first time it happened was about ten years ago when I  fell asleep on my sister's couch watching tv, and its happened about 5 more times over the last 10 yrs. This feeling of dread wakes me up. Then my feet and legs start to feel a strange tingling sensation as if they were asleep and are waking back up. Then the worst part comes. My heart will beat very heavily. I have fhe sensation that it stopped and is working hard to bring me back to life. It only lasts about a minute. But it's super scary! I had my sister take me to the ER that first time and the Doc chalked it up to stress. I know its more than that though. I was searching the net this week and found some interesting terms. Vasovagal episodes, sleep syncope, sleep apnea. All of which sound extremely similar to what im experiencing. But rhe universal theme is that its hard to diagnose,  and doctors tend to blow you off when you tell them about it. So what to do? Im up right now because I had another episode just as I was drifting off to sleep and i could feel it coming on so I sat up in bed as that will stop it if im not fully asleep when it comes over me.  Just got tested for a whole host of things, such as thyroid, electrolytes, magnesium deficiency, and anemia. I am anemic, but am on iron now and it still happened again tonight. Still waiting for the rest of the blood test results. Have any of you gotten any real answers from a doctor yet? Anyone been able to stop theirs? Please  share your tips and tricks if so!
God Bless to all of you!!!