attacks that happen in the night..sleep

[jsprig]

I've only had four panic attacks total in my life. I had three in the same month, didn't have any for almost year, and then had another one a few weeks ago.
I had honestly thought they were gone for good and one popped up again!

My attacks seem to happen in the middle of the night.. either when I am trying to fall asleep OR sometimes even waking me up out of my sleep.

Has anyone else experienced this?


I wake up trying to catch my breath.. I feel like I just can't breathe, like I'm suffocating, then I get tingly, warm and just totally feel out of control. I almost feel like I'm not real or like I'm leaving my body. It's just weird.

I also noticed that each time I've experienced, it was the week before my menstrual cycle so I think it could be hormone related.

Anyone else had them wake you up before out of your sleep?

[Jules31]

yep, I've had several wake me up from my sleep, which makes them even more scary as you don't really know where you are or what is happening.

And yes, anxiety is often worse in many women before their period.

Jules


Jules

[seh1980]

hello there,

I have never had a panic attack wake me up but I do notice that I am more panicky and anxious around the time of my period.

Sarah :D

[jill]

Hi,

Yes I too have had several wake me up.
My first PA was in June most nights I would
be awakend by Mr Panic, but since finding
this site at the end of August, reading through
the site and reading post not only to me but
to other people I have learnd sooo much.
All I can say is the more I unerstood that a
symptom would not harm me the better
I felt and as time went on Mr Panic would not
visit me in the night. The last time it happened
was on holiday in belgem he woke me up in fear,
I poped the light on and looked around the room
I told him to p*** o**. the next night he came
again, this time I told him the the light is staying
off "do your worse I told him" he did not stay
long and I went to sleep. He has not been around since.
I would say now is that I'm 100% better but I still have
little bits.I too have notice bofore a period I feel abit jittery.
It's not easy changing the way we think when
we are thrust into fear like this but it can be done.

With alot of hard work support and time you to
can learn not to fear him.

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXXX


"Every thought you think changes your biochemistry.
Your hormones are effected by your thoughts.
Pay attention to stuff that bring you joy.
Look for things that bring you a smile!"

[Rennie1989]

jsprig

i do, most of my panic attacks happen during the night.

it happens when i get into bed, my breathing gets harder (like now) and i cant control myself!

i have actaully woken up one night and i felt my herat racing! this was about 2 i think! not sure

also it could be your hornmones or it could be coinsedance!

Scooter Girl

if i was hungry would you feed me, if i fell you help me up, if i was crying would you brush away my tears

[mico]

Hi Jsprig

I had a couple of attacks wake me up from my sleep once.

Or at least I think I did [?].

What I do know is that I woke up soaked in sweat, completely disorientated, and completely full of fear. Thought I may have had a bad nightmare, but couldn't remember dreaming about anything, and this carried on worse than any nightmare I ever had. Jumped straight out of bed (I felt like I was lying in a cold bath - I don't normally have a sweat problem, honest. :D) And felt the need to put some clothes on, probably partly because I was freezing cold, but to be perfectly honest, I didn't have a clue what I was doing, or why, I just jumped straight out of bed and started doing stuff before I even questioned anything. Was a very bizzare experience. That was a year or two ago now though, hasn't happened since.

To be honest, I never really thought of it as being an anxiety attack until more recently (even though I was blatantly in a huge panic at the time), I really just wasn't too sure what to make of it, and probably put it down to bad dreams.

Not sure if this helps you at all, but that's my experience. A very odd one at that.

mico

[LoopyLou]

Hi,

I had to reply to your post as I have had the same feelings loads of times. I have woken in the night and been awake for upto three hours with panic attacks. My legs and arms where tingling, I thought I was having some sort of stroke or something. I was hot and cold too, and heart pounding etc. The first time this happened I was ashamed to wake my partner incase he thought I was going mad. I know it sounds crazy but I spent three hours scratching my arm with my nails as hard as I could trying to come back to reality. My arm was b****y sore the next day I can tell you. Reading up in this forum and other websites has made me realise what I was suffering from and that I wasn't on deaths door. I just have to keep that thought in my head and I just pray it doesn't happen again. Saturday was my last one, but have been feeling iffy last day or two. I woke in the night again on Monday with terrible pains in my legs, like they where restless but worse, but luckily I just done some deep breathing and fell back to sleep.

I hope this has reassured you abit and made you realise it's not just you.

Keep smiling!

[Fanny Adams]

Wow

I've never known anyone else to have panic at night. All my panic attacks happen at night and on a daily basis. I'm currently frightened of going to bed. I've found that having a warm shower and a Camomile or herbal tea (Jasmine) helps to relax me before bed time as I'm tired. I've also brought dinner time forward to just after I get home from work around 5:30pm as I know ( or rather have told myself) that some foods trigger my attacks as well.

On bad nights, as soon as I put my head on the pillow all the bad what if's come. What if I don't love my partner, what if I never want to get married, what if my parents never come back for me, what if I die in my sleep etc. If this happens, I either let the panic attack happen - and I can't talk for about 15 mins - but if it's a horrific one I get up potter around, sometimes call the Samaritans anything to distract. Then I go back to bed and say "It's ok everything is fine you got through it" but hey everyone has bad days and we all break down and cry [:I]

The worst ones, like you are when I sit bolt upright in bed (which happened on my first major PA 3 years ago after my engagement party and after my sister went back to Australia ) I was overcome with fear that I was alone etc and now I associate night with panic.

But we're all here because we share a common "problem" it's nothing to be ashamed about - ok nothing to be proud about either - but hey we're still human I just like to think I'm "quirky"

Love
FA
xx

Everything is Sweet FA!

[vernon]

hi, yes same here except the periods[B)], only last night I woke soaking with sweat, cant breath and the tingling in back of neck and head. then feels like i am gonna pass out anytime when i get up for a wee. Its the cant breath that seems to scare me most, then i have a smoke lol. take care Vernon

[tessa]

I am with you on this. I had one wake me up last night.

tessa

[stimpy]

Yup and me.

Then it got to the stage where I would not go to bed at all.
I would spend my night asleep on the sofa with the tv and light on.

I find the darkness and quiet very oppressive to the point of suffication.

Now I go to bed with a small night light and the radio on low.
That helps a great deal.



Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

[razocaine_07]

hi, i have experience i think 2 in 2years that have woken me up from deep sleep. I have to say that for me, they are far more scarier than when u are awake to start with. Mainly because it takes time for you to realise whats going on and where you are. For a period of last year i was scarred to sleep in case it happened again.

[JPF]

Hi jsprig

Although I can't comment on the menstrual thing (being of the male persuasion!) I can definitely say that the worst of my panic attacks have been at night/early hours of the morning. I've had them in the day too but the night time ones have been (so far) the worst.

The ones I've had at night have tended to coincide with bouts of insomnia and though I've not actually been woken by one I would say that the old adage of "Everything is worse at night" (I don't know about you but whenever I have the 'flu or a cold or just feel down it's always worse at night!) and I think it probably applies to PAs too. I can totally identify with the not feeling real, like you're about to drift out of your body (somehow) and the fear of losing control..

From the responses of the others it seems it's something which affects a few people - I've been lucky because I've been able to escape my panic by sleeping. I've never been a good sleeper but incongruously I've been sleeping much better during my bad stages, probably, I think because they've left me feeling exhausted.

Looks like it hits us all in various ways... I hope you can use the info on this excellent forum and the parent website and learn from the experience of all the people on here who know, sympathise and understand the horrible feelings you've suffered with

Good luck and good health

J

[daftun]

hi jspriq,
I know exactly what you mean and i have had them as well ,infact i had one last night, it woke me from sleep i jumped out of bed rushed into the hall and was calling my husband i thought i was dying, i felt like i was numb across my chest and down my arms and felt like i wasn't here it is such a weird feeling and i've been worrying myself all day now because i don't want to go to bed tonight, i always fel like this after it happens. Also i am due to have my period so i agree i definately think it is something to do with hormones as well.

[silentcalligraph]

Add me to the list, had some of my worst PAs in the middle of the night and during one especially bad period I started to panic as soon as it was getting dark outside (those winters were fun!). And yep there's definitely a connection between anxiety/panic and the menstrual cycle.

[Mel]

Most of my panic attacks happen at night, they always wake me up. Like you, the first few I had were quite some way apart, it is only recently that they have become more regular. I have been doing really well for the past couple of weeks though, and it is partly thanks to this great forum.

[Jules31]

Hi

Over the last few days I've been having attacks waking me in the middle of the night. They've started with pains in my head and a feeling of passing out or tightness in my chest and as though I'm fading out. They sure are scary but it looks like lots us have them so hang in there.

hugs


Jules

[tessa]

Goodness,
I can so relate. I felt one comeing on right before I went to sleep last night. that tightness was in my chest and I could just feel it coming on. I took a diazapan which I hate having to do, but did so I could get some rest. It still woke me up though once in the middle of the night.
I too have started telling "Mr. Panic" come and get me-bring it on and it really does seem to help if I act like I can handle it.
Take care,:D

tessa