Panic Attacks/Sleeping issues?

[SETN]

I had no idea which topic to post this under, my apologies.

A few nights ago i was laying in bed as usual trying to fall asleep when all of a sudden i felt really... scared? My heart started to beat fast and loud i thought it was going to beat its way out of my chest, i had to sit up and turn on the light... i couldnt really talk and i got worse when i was talked to. Couldnt be touched either. I thought my throat was going to close on me and i was sort of wheezing (id had a phlegmy cough goin on for about a week.) It freaked me out so i started to shake. Tried to figure out if i felt better with my eyes open or closed, laying down or sitting up, going with it or fighting it. Either way, it sucked and felt worse. Sort of felt sick as well. Is that a panic attack? If so, why? Im not worried ot stressing over anything...

For a while whenever i ate, i would randomly feel awkward, couldnt talk, felt sick, i had to put my head down it was insta-tiredom - a bit of dizzyness... related somehow maybe??

And while im here please tell me why when i want to nap i cant fall asleep, and when i do sleep for the normal 8 hours im never rested... and when i oversleep im tired too. Its like no matter how much i get its never enough i have no energy to do anything, especially at work. My eyes are always heavy and im constantly aching for my bed.

[SDteacher]

Try green tea before bed.
Try not watching anything violent (news...) or too emotional (ie. lifetime) before bed.  
Avoid being the computer before bed too.  
Don't do anything that requires you to concentrate right before bed b/c your brain needs to relax and zone out not focus and concentrate. *** Reruns of sitcomes are great to get sleepy to.****

Get exercise during the day (as exhausted as you are)... you will feel more tired at night.
Get yourself on a schedule.
Don't go to bed and just lay there.....  you'll stress out simply over the fact that you are not tired and you have to get up early.  Go to bed (literally) when you feel tired.

Worse case scenerio, take xanax (perscribed by a psychiatrist) .5 mg.  Careful, you can become dependent on them.  I had to ween myself off after having to take them for sleep for a year.

Now I sleep pretty peacefully most of the time.

Good luck.

[AnnieBrooke]

Exercise is better for anxiety than even all the drugs they have for it.  Don't give up until you have tried doing something daily that wrings you out physically, such as running, walking hard, jumping rope, etc.  Doing so gives you that endorphin rush that is so darn good for you.

[1dgtrainer]

I can only say that I suffer from panic/anxiety attacks which started a couple of years ago. I get the 'fight or flight' syndrome, my heart beats fast, I break out into a sweat, start to panic for no apparent reason. I had to seek psychiatric help and my doctor put me on Clonopin. It is similiar to Xanax but not as addicting. I take one tablet before bedtime and not only does it help me sleep, it helps keep the anxiety under control. See your doctor if you need a referral to a psychiatrist for a prescription.