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!

[joe27111]

Hi

I suffer from the same thing, I have to wake myself up to start breathing and get my heart back to normal.

Did you come across any causes/treatments?

Thanks

[grark2]

I am a guy in my late fifties, and suffered night panics for many years; I was like so many out there, waking up terrified with what was going on with my body. Having forums like this now is a wonderful way to connnect with people especially young people  who have the same problems, but can now, realise they are not alone; For me I believed I was the only person in the world feeling these horrible symptoms, and unfortunately my doctor , made me feel that as well. Life  today is so full of stress, worry and bad news, and most of us are spending our days at work or at school or college trying to keep on top everything that is thrown at us, trying to relax completely  is truly not that easy. My advice which has helped me, is to try and not beat yourself up about what is happening to your body, just accept it, dont fight it  and try and love yourself even more for experiencing  such sensitivity.My advice to young people is to look at the posts from some of us older people out there, and realise after maybe years we are still here, after all the panics we have had. I look back at my life and I can honestly say that having these panic attacks, particularly at night, have made me a far more sensitive and caring and understanding person, than from the person I may have been; It altered my life, and career, but I can honestly say, I would not want to be any different to how I am now. Peace to everyone x

[xclairx]

Im so glad to have found this site. I too am suffering so bad with these nocturnal panic attcks. Im 25, only used to suffer from anxiety & panic attacks during the day but then they started coming of a night & they are so much harder to control especially when u are exhausted and all you want to do is sleep. Mine happen as im falling asleep when i eventually do drift off i seem to be fine but some night i watch it get light as i desperatley try an drop off to sleep. Its very scary. I will be just about to drift off & i shoot up gasping for air feeling like im fighting to stay alive its so intense & so scary. My heart doesnt pound tho i am just so so tired i lie there & try an get bk to sleep only to have it happen over & over again i feel so privliged if i manage to get a night where i just drift off to sleep normally. I am a newlywed, happily married & desperate to start tryin 4 a baby but worry how this would effect the baby. Anyone suffered these nocturnal panic attacks whilst pregnant?
I pray we all find a cure for this & one day soon manage to just fall asleep normally & stay asleep. Its good to know im not alone. xx

[Max952]

I wake up at night feeling the same way. It is frightening.  I begin to feel like I need someone to talk to right away to comfort me - to tell me that I am o.k. I believe it is caused by stress and irregular sleep.  I will not take medication to relieve stress because I believe that would eventually increase my anxiety.  I pray, I and have reached out to a relative to help calm me down.  
We have to find ways to calm ourselves.   I have herbal teas that help with anxiety on hand always and I will immediately get in the bath to feel the water.  It calms me.  We will be fine because we have to believe it will not last and it doesn't.  

[Max952]

I wake up at night feeling the same way. It is frightening.  I begin to feel like I need someone to talk to right away to comfort me - to tell me that I am o.k. I believe it is caused by stress and irregular sleep.  I will not take medication to relieve stress because I believe that would eventually increase my anxiety.  I pray, I and have reached out to a relative to help calm me down. It is embarrasing at times.
We have to find ways to calm ourselves.   I have herbal teas that help with anxiety on hand always and I will immediately get in the bath to feel the water.  It calms me.  We will be fine because we have to believe it will not last and it doesn't.  

[jpxx901]

Dear all
I'm a 46 year old woman who's been having night time panic attacks 3 or 4 times a week for about 8 months. I didn't know they were panic attacks until seeing my doctor 4 weeks ago with other signs of stress that occurred during the day. I had thought they were hot flushes due to peri-menopause. I completed a depression questionnaire and was diagnosed with mild depression. I didn't want medication though, trying to cope without it. I took 2 weeks annual leave from work but then went back for 3 days and walked out of work 2 weeks ago because I couldn't cope anymore. Just couldn't seem to concentrate or think straight.
I have seen my doctor every week, started counselling (only 1 session so far but going back next week), I've been getting better everyday following a stress control course. Had another panic attack last night, but I know that I will get better.
For all those people asking  "What's happening to me?" You need to look at why you feel the way you feel and why the body is reacting this way to get you through the panic attacks - day or night. It's usually about a lack of carbon dioxide due to hyperventilation which causes a sense of shortness of breath, blood vessels constrict and the heart starts to pump harder to get blood around these narrowed blood vessels, and you get too much adrenalin in the system. If you understand what's happening to your body you're better able to control it.
I'd recommend the following websites as they provide great help.

http://glasgowsteps.com/home.php
http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/panic_attacks

I hope that these are helpful.Good luck. J xx