Wake up with chest pain, and can't breathe.

[Anxiety Jim]

Hi,

About 5 times during the last month I've woken up in the night with a really tight chest feeling, and also, I couldn't breathe, like I was winded. I'm convinced I'm about to die, I can't move and gradually I start to breathe again, and after about 5 - 10 minutes the chest pain goes.

Is the heart/lung related?

Should I go and see a GP? I haven't registered with one since I started at my new uni.

Thanks,

[Markoo]

Sounds like a panic attack in your sleep, do you sometimes feel as if your vision is going a bit?

I had at your saying when when i was around 19, im 25 now, i havent had what your explaining in years, that went away and general anxiety with anxiety/panic attacks came after that. I never went to the doctor or anything about it, probably not the best idea.

Just wanna add though, your best going to get checked, it'll put your mind at ease.

[Mark801]

This sounds like sleep paralysis(minus the chest pain). I get it once in a while and it freaks me out. Maybe its panic induced.

Are you anxious/stressed at all since you've starting college? COLLEGE IS A MAJOR STRESSOR IN MY LIFE:mad:

[Markoo]

This sounds like sleep paralysis(minus the chest pain). I get it once in a while and it freaks me out. Maybe its panic induced.

Are you anxious/stressed at all since you've starting college? COLLEGE IS A MAJOR STRESSOR IN MY LIFE:mad:

Never heard of this mark, paralysis? Actually brings me to ask, when i was depressed bad, i woke up frozen like i was scared to move an inch or couldnt move and as if i couldnt breathe myself, didnt have the chest pain or anything, i'd though someone was in my room it was like i had to snap myself out of it.. but again i only had this on a few occasion and i think it was my dreams that triggered it.

[little_fairy]

Markoo, I get the exact same thing as that sometimes... scaaarrryy..

[Markoo]

Yeah wasn't nice at all, i havent had that in a few years either though luckily enough..

[Mark801]

What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).

Sleep paralysis may also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hynogogic or hypnopompic paralysis, predormital or postdormital paralysis


What are the symptoms?

A complaint of inability to move the trunk or limbs at sleep onset or upon awakening
Presence of brief episodes of partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis
Episodes can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations or dream-like mentation (act or use of the brain)
Polysomnography (a sleep recording) shows at least one of the following:

suppression of skeletal muscle tone
a sleep onset REM period
dissociated REM sleep
Is it harmful?


Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological condition in which the person has uncontrollable naps. However, there are many people who experience sleep paralysis without having signs of narcolepsy. Sometimes it runs in families. There is no known explanation why some people experience this paralysis. It is not harmful, although most people report feeling very afraid because they do not know what is happening, and within minutes they gradually or abruptly are able to move again; the episode is often terminated by a sound or a touch on the body.

In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm.


What else can you tell me about sleep paralysis?

Some people with disrupted sleep schedules or circadian rhythm disturbances experience sleep paralysis
A study found that 35% of subjects with isolated sleep paralysis also reported a history of wake panic attacks unrelated to the experience of paralysis
Sixteen percent of these persons with isolated sleep paralysis met the criteria for panic disorder
How can I stop the sleep paralysis?

In severe cases, where episodes take place at least once a week for 6 months, medication may be used.

You may be able to minimize the episodes by following good sleep hygiene:

getting enough sleep
reduce stress
exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
keep a regular sleep schedule



What gives me comfort is it says that people with anxiety/panic(people like us) suffer from this. However, there are people like my cousin(who's as happy and jolly as can be) who also gets this. It terrifies me but I don't get it often.

---------- Post added at 04:03 ---------- Previous post was at 03:57 ----------

@Anxiety Jim

Apparently you can get the chest thing from this as well. I never had it(knock on wood) but I hope this gives you a bit of reassurance. You should also vist a doc just for a plain old routine physical just to see whats going on with your body.