Anxiety or something else? Curious if others have this problem

[Krypt0night]

Over the last few months, when I am falling asleep, I'll suddenly jolt awake and feel like I wasn't breathing. Normally this only happens when I'm first falling asleep, but it can happen over and over again until I finally get to sleep.

I find myself gasping for air, jerking awake, and my heart pounding. Does anyone else deal with this issue? If so, have you dealt with it in any way that seemed to work?

[BRAMBLE]

hi kripht

i get this an awful lot and yes they do seem to affect me much mre when ive been runnign on high adrenaline.i believe they are called hypnic jerks and i was helped more about knowing that they are fairly common and dnt affect us long term as in they wont affect our health

i read up mre about it and now understand what is happenign to me.i still have them a lot.although trying to deep breath through them does help i find body relaxation more helpful as in wriggle toes then fingers etc and tense and relazx the muscles

some times though i cant stop them and just have to ride through them until they switch of.its certanly not a pleasant experience but be reassured they are not harmful and are probably related to your anxiety levels

[Hazelnut]

I was having the exact same issue a couple of weeks ago...I was scared I was just going to stop breathing in my sleep! I have been having a host of symptoms which the doctors can't seem to attribute to anything through tests, and I guess I was getting more amped up with anxiety than I realised. The doctor gave me Xanax which helped, but I only took it for a couple of days as it's not something I wish to be on long-term. After that I have been using Benadryl, which seems to be working for me. I have also cut out caffeine and have been drinking chamomile tea in the evenings. Perhaps you could give chamomile capsules a try? I have read multiple reviews about how it was the perfect natural substitute for their anxiety meds.

---------- Post added at 10:57 ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 ----------

Also forgot to mention that I did try some sleep hypnosis/meditation apps when I was feeling my worst. They definitely help you relax as you focus on your breathing and letting go of all your tension. :hugs:

[Krypt0night]

Interesting, I didn't know chamomile capsules were a thing. I may have to look into that, thanks.