Waking up gasping for breath

[Jo3016]

Hi all

I don't have these episodes very much but when I do, they always leave me feeling really freaked out! They always coincide with feeling breathless, breathing too heavily and palpitations during the day.

I fell asleep on the sofa last night and woke suddenley about 45 minutes later gasping for breath. I felt like my head was spinning and I was really thirsty. It sort of felt like I was still asleep. My heart was going really quickly. I staggered to the kitchen and got a drink of water and within minutes, I felt normal again. I don't know if it was caused by stopping breathing in my sleep or breathing too much. Does anyone else ever get this?

Cheers

[jo61]

Hi Jo, I get the same and have managed to convince myself it's anxiety. Knowing this makes it easier to deal with. I wake a little while after I go to sleep gasping but it's happening less and less.

[rosebud]

Hi Jo

This has happened to me a few times. It usually happens when i have been worrying or my anxiety symptoms are really bad. Its not nice but i wouldn't worry too much.
Take care
Traceyxxx

[Copsgrl8]

This happens to me often and scares the heck out of me. I asked my gp and said I might not be aware of it but I am sleeping and also having a PA. Completely harmless but scary ...

[eeyorelover]

If you jumped up to get a drink right after waking, chances are that your heart wasn't really beating abnormally fast. It's just that everyone's heartrate drops while sleeping so when you first wake up and it speeds up - if you pay enough attention to it - it can cause a little anxiety wondering if it's too fast. Does that even make sense??? Well it's late so sorry - LOL
Hope you feel better soon hun
xxx
Sandy

[Spaz0r]

I get this too, I really hate it it's probably one of the symptons of PA's I dislike most. Has anyone found anyway of stopping these? When they happen to me they can keep me up unitll the early hours, falling asleep then waking up gasping for air every 15 minutes or so. Thoroughly unpleasant!

[rb1978]

I've had this too. At one point it was happening every night - waking up in the small hours of the morning panicking and gasping for air and then needing water.

I do think it's anxiety related because looking back I can see it was happening a lot when my anxiety was at its worst...not had it so much lately because the anxiety in general hasn't been so bad.