Nighttime Panic Attacks?

[harris5998]

Does anyone suffer from nightime panic attacks? Like, having nightmares and waking up feeling panicky every so often? Or just waking up nervous with your heart racing and body trembling? Some nights this happens multiple times per night, other nights (usually when I take Xanax before bed) it doesn't happen at all. It's very upsetting. I just did not know a person could wake up in the middle of a panic attack, I have enough of them during the day!

[suzi-q]

I used to wake up with one EVERY morning at one time...but never in the night...that was the only time that I am not anxious...once morning comes, its all over!!!!  Anxiety sets in!!

[wunabnorm]

I get that in some shape or form. When I try to go to sleep, I kind of feel like like just about as I am going to drift to sleep, I feel really panicky, almost as if I was floating out of my own body. Like I was leaving myself, and so I would wake up gasping for air. And recently... I have been having a new feeling. While I am sleeping... It's almost as if I can see myself sleeping, and I know that I am, and I can feel what it feels like quivers in my heart, or several pvc's in a row... and I feel like I am going to have a heart attack and die, so...I am fighting to wake myself up, and I can try several times, (screaming silently) or I can see myself trying to wake up my husband, but I can't move or spaek, and finally when I can wake up, I jump up in bed, and start gasping for air, and my heartbeat is racing!!! I might sound crazy... but... it's the only way I know how to explain it. Also...this can happen several times throughout the night. Anyone ever feel like that?

[meg1005]

I have had both experiences..I am a 21 yr old female who just recently graduated from college and have been experiencing what feels like a rush or numerous rushes before going to bed. It happens right before i go to sleep and it almost feels like an adrenaline rush with my heart speeding up and it waking me up. This can happen numerous times before I finally fall asleep from exhaustion. I have also experienced waking up before in the middle of the night gasping for air. It almost seems like I stopped breathing when I was sleeping and woke up gasping for air. This hasn't happened though for a couple months. I have recently gone to the doctor and they said everything was fine and am now waiting on blood work but I am extremely nervous and concerned!

[canihelp]

This happens when your breathing becomes shallow as you fall asleep.  It also happens when you have a rush of adrenalin as you fall asleep or during your sleep with dreams.  You quit breathing for a few seconds & the heart may skip and it wakens you.  I know it's frightening.  Sleep apnea can also cause that.  Stress is one of the main factors though in a healthy person (i think).

Read under heart problems forum to see more about heart skips & such.  These are usually benign, unless severe sleep apnea is involved. (in my knowledge)  By the way, the more you fear it, the worse it gets, so find a way to relax before you go to sleep (like reading a boring book, listening to soft music, cup of Chamomille tea, etc)

[MOTAH]

I used to get these but ONLY when I go to sleep with anxious thoughts in my head.

Try to dedicate at least 30 - 60 minutes of your time BEFORE you sleep in watching tv (& concentrating on it), listening to radio, or anything that is unrelated to your anxiety or fear.

if you could clear your mind for 30 - 60 minutes of your time before you go to bed & think of something happy or general or today's news, weather, a funny joke you remembered, etc... then you'll sleep fine & have normal dreams & you won't woke up.

I had these attacks during my sleep for around 1 month & they didn't go away until I made sure that sleep time is "forcefully" without worry.

cheers,

[aprilr]

i have the same thing i wake up every morning shaky and heart pounding for no reason its really scary

[snapdragonblue]

i wake shaky and heartbeating reallyfast too. i also have jumped out of bed from a full sleep, thinking i cant breath what is it?

[mia193]

I awake from my sleep with my heart racing, and this happens every so often now.  It used to be almost every night - from about 2-4am!  I too would pop a zanax before bed and noticed that it would help, or it i wake up, i will take one and fall back to sleep.  I think the body shuts down and the mind keeps going!  I also used to have a couple of glasses of wine before bed, thinking it would help me and it was worse for me, i think the sulfites made my heart race.  I have been (knock on wood) sleeping pretty well for about a month now, but it could always come back.  The only comfort is that I know the feeling from before, so I try to deep breath and calm myself, before i go into a full panic attack.  It does help, or I would go on this site, read some posts and it would put my mind at ease.
Hope it helps!
take care

[Mozartcowgirl]

I used to get those at night.. i would wake up .. feeling like i couldnt breath... the whole fight/flight thing.. run to the bathroom.. insert head into cold water  etc et c...

i stopped eating at least 3 hours before bed time.. then. i learned that you can eat certain foods.. at night.. that are good for you and mixes well with sleep.. Oatmeal. or raw vegtables.. i tried it.. it worked!!  i even slept better..

[Shannon Wyatt]

I too have this same condition -- I awake every morning (like clockwork) between 5:30am and 7am shaky and with my heart pounding -- every morning.  What is this?  Some latent anxiety from my subconscious?  Anyway, I have learned the best way to handle is to get up and get moving.  This works like a charm.  If it is really early, say 5:30am -- I'll go back to bed after a while but usually have a fitful and restless sleep until I get up @ 7:30am.

Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this happens in the early morning?  During the day I'm fine...   THanks!

[sick&tired01]

I'm so glad that I found this site because in the last few months I've been experiencing the same thing. I have been consumed with worry that I have a heart problem and was actually about to make an appointment with my cardiologist. ( I had to see one in the past due to severe heart palpitations.) Anyway, I'll jump out of sleep like someone scared me or something and I am trembling from head to toe, my heart is racing, and I have this strange warmth all through my body. I always look at the clock when I wake up with this and notice that it's usually about 2 hours after I've fallen asleep. I have been dealing with panic attacks since I was 6 years old so I know what they feel like, I'm just worried that I might have some kind of heart problem that is causing these symptoms. Sometimes I'm afraid if I go to sleep