Anxiety about going to sleep...

[Aprime80]

So two weeks ago I woke up gasping for air and was so upset about it put myself in a full on anxiety attack w/ a heartbeat of 150+...thought i was going to have to go to the er but finally calmed myself down.  I had this happen like 3 other times over the course of a week to the point I read online about possibility of sleep apnea.  Since reading up on it I have slept sitting up on our couch and have anxiety about sleeping in bed anymore.  I'm currently seeing a cardiologst to get a heart work up since I told dr about racing heart and am on 10mg lisinopril and now 25 mg toprol xl as well along w/ just staring 25 mg of Zoloft in case it's just anxiety.  My question is this....I will schedule to go back to the dr in the next couple weeks and ask about sleep apnea but I have a constant worry of instant death from sleep apnea now (I know is irrational).  Can I sleep in my bed and be ok with just waking myself up till I get evaluated or should I keep on the couch which has been working a bit?  Any home treatments  you can advise of.  This is scary stuff....thanks for your time.

[Jerry_NJ]

Not an expert on sleep apnea but I know it can be dangerous and I don't know that sleeping sitting up reduces the risk - I suppose it depends on the cause,which I guess was discussed above.

I reply mostly to ask if you have nasal congestion problems.  I do, and it makes me feel like I am suffocating/drowning (absent the water) at times and it is much, much worse at night when I am in bed trying to sleep.  I wonder too if I have some sleep apnea problems, I sleep with my wife of many years and she has trouble sleeping and doesn't notice any irregularity in my breathing when I am asleep.  Of course, I breath through my mouth when the nose is blocked, but I still get the panic suffocating reaction at times.

[buildbettersleep]

I too have sleep anxiety, and also suspect a form of Central Sleep Apnea (no obstructions, but noticeable pauses in breathing at night). Have found that having the actual test (with me, a simple blood oxymeter) relieved much of the anxiety - no I wasn't going to die in my sleep! It all boiled down to recognizing the anxiety, and mentally explaining it away (in my case, although blood oxygen levels dipped, it wasn't dangerous),
I'd encourage you do do whatever eases your mind - sleep upright on the couch if that does it. I'm sure the sleep study - regardless of the results - will ease it even further....

[Aprime80]

its no fun at all, not sleeping well affects soooooooooooo much.  i called my dr today about getting a sleep study and am awaiting a call back.  in the mean time I sleep in my recliner, put some vicks on, breathe right strip, saline solution for sinuses, and a cough drop to open up throat.....am I missing anything?  I hate worrying about this!

[lisaob1]

hi ther..i can totally understand wher your coming from...my daughter has sleep apnoea..and i cant tell you how many times i check in on her thru the night..she is due to go to aintree hospital to see about masks and stuff...which is hard..but the stress of it all....i find myself jumping up while im alsleep gasping for breathe...it is scary..its hard...keep posting,i wish i had answers..but i do know how you feel.....