Sleep disorder? or Heart Problem?

[glynne04]

This doesn't happen every night but when it does it really scares me.  I start to doze off and about 2 min into falling asleep, I have the feeling that either 1 my heart has stopped or 2 I cant breathe... I have to kick my legs, to get to where I feel like I can breathe again.  What could this be?

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Inadequate oxygenation can produce symptoms of breathlessness, as the body tries in an effort to compensate for the decreased oxygen supply. It can also cause paleness and sometimes fainting spells. Long term sleep deprivation can lead to impairment of cognitive functions (higher functions) in the brain. The breathlessness could be due to cardiac or lung disorders. It could also be obstructive sleep apnea. Please discuss this with your doctor am sure he will provide further assistance.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[ducky406]

It may be sleep apnea or some other form of sleep disorder. I suggest talking to a doctor about it. They put you into a sleep study to make sure that you're getting enough oxygen and monitor your heart rate. There are treatments for sleep apnea so I really suggest you make an appointment sooner rather than later so you can get some good sleep. (Sometimes even if you don't wake up or don't have a severe problem it could still show minute amounts of issues that may be causing the symptoms you mention.)